LIHU’E – Joseph Fernandez, 55, pleaded no-contest Tuesday in Fifth Circuit Court to multiple felony counts of sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment in connection with an attack on a woman last month. Fernandez, who was homeless at the time of
LIHU’E – Joseph Fernandez, 55, pleaded no-contest Tuesday in Fifth Circuit
Court to multiple felony counts of sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment in
connection with an attack on a woman last month.
Fernandez, who was
homeless at the time of the crimes, faces a maximum penalty of 90 years in
jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 28.
The charges stemmed from an
incident Aug. 23, when a female visitor to the island was kidnapped and
sexually assaulted at a campsite in Nukolii.
Authorities said the victim
talked her assailant into letting her go to a local hotel after 36 hours. She
called police from there.
Fernandez, who did not resist arrest, remains in
the Kaua`i Community Correctional Center awaiting sentencing.
Staff
writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and
dwilken@pulitzer.net
