Kapaau man indicted on sex abuse

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KEALAKEKUA — A man is on supervised release after a grand jury indicted him on charges of sexually abusing a girl under the age of 14 from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 1, 2011.

KEALAKEKUA — A man is on supervised release after a grand jury indicted him on charges of sexually abusing a girl under the age of 14 from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 1, 2011.

Alexander K.M. Svendsen, 30, of Kapaau, appeared before 3rd Circuit Judge Melvin Fujino on Tuesday after he was indicted Dec. 14 and turned himself in to police on Monday night. He pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial, with a bail study advising $34,286 for all six counts.

Three of the counts are continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14, covering various times of the alleged abuse. The other three cases are first-degree assault and allege specific instances.

Deputy public defender Ann Datta argued that Svendsen should be on supervised release, with electronic monitoring if necessary. She cited the fact that the defendant turned himself in, his continued attendance at treatment and his stable living arrangement as reasons. He has also had no violations of his ongoing probation from a terroristic threatening case, she said.

Deputy prosecuting attorney Dale Ross argued that the bail study had considered those factors and it should remain as suggested.

Fujino ordered supervised release.

Svendsen is next due in court for a pretrial conference at 4 p.m. March 2 and his trial is set for April 12.