LIHU‘E — Calling his crime of raping a 14-year-old girl “the epitome of violating a family and friend’s trust,” 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe sentenced Nelson K. Olshefski to 20 years in prison on Wednesday. He was convicted of first-degree
LIHU‘E — Calling his crime of raping a 14-year-old girl “the epitome of violating a family and friend’s trust,” 5th Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe sentenced Nelson K. Olshefski to 20 years in prison on Wednesday.
He was convicted of first-degree sexual assault, a class A felony, and the 20-year term is the maximum sentence for class A felonies. Watanabe said Olshefski will be given credit for time already served.
The amount of time Olshefski must spend behind bars will be determined by the Hawai‘i Paroling Authority.
The violated trust is “something you’re going to have to deal with while you’re serving your time,” said Watanabe, who repeatedly thanked the victim’s father for making statements on the family’s behalf.
“Your family also becomes victim to your irresponsible acts,” said Watanabe to Olshefski, who had family members in the front row of the Lihu‘e state courthouse during the sentencing.
Already incarcerated at Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center in Wailua, Olshefski, 34, with a last known address in Koloa, was dressed in a white T-shirt, orange prison pants and leg shackles.
Lisa Arin, county deputy prosecuting attorney, said Olshefski sexually assaulted the girl while his girlfriend and children slept nearby, and Olshefski has known the victim since she was 7.
Initially, the girl felt afraid, didn’t know what to do or who to talk to, but eventually told her friend and then, later, her mother, who reported the crime to police, said Arin.
“Olshefski was supposed to be a family friend, not a sexual predator,” and he violated the trust of the entire family, said Arin.
“I’m accepting responsibility for my actions,” said Olshefski, asking the victim’s family for forgiveness.
“I regret my actions, choices every day, and I pray one day that you’ll find peace of mind. I am sorry for letting you down again.”
The victim’s father added further emotion to an already teary proceeding.
“There is nothing he could say and do to bring back what they’ve gone through, what they continue to go through,” said the man, whose name is known to The Garden Island but won’t be used to protect his daughter from continued trauma.
“Make peace with your maker because you’ll never make peace with my family. My daughter should be graduating this year. He took everything away from her,” said the victim’s father, adding his daughter tried to commit suicide several times.
He turned to Olshefski’s family and thanked Olshefski’s girlfriend for capably raising two daughters as a single parent.
“May God have mercy on your soul,” he said to Olshefski, before Watanabe stopped him before he could go further.
“I cannot imagine what your family has gone through,” said Watanabe, adding she hopes the victim’s family can find peace. “It’s obvious” the victim’s father “is in a lot of pain.”
“He knows nothing he could say would undo his actions. He deeply, bitterly regrets his actions, regrets the trauma he caused to the victim,” said Rosa Flores, Olshefski’s attorney.
Arin outlined a number of crimes committed by Olshefski, including family abuse, theft, reckless driving, fourth-degree criminal property damage and other crimes that at one time landed him on the newspaper and Kaua‘i Police Department’s Most Wanted list in 2009.
“Theft and violence has been a part of his life,” said Arin, asking for the maximum possible sentence.
• Paul C. Curtis, assistant editor and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
