Filipino among suspected child sex predators netted in Hawaii sting operation

From left to right: Micaiah Smith, 31, Joseph Marshall, 42, Vincent Antonio, 36, and Ryen Knapp, 40, are all charged with electronic enticement of a child after talking online with undercover agents posing as underage teens. (Hawaii Police Department)

A Filipino was among four men from Kona on the Big Island in Hawaii charged with child sex solicitation in a multi-agency sting operation called Operation Keiki Shield.

The statewide undercover operation aimed to identify and arrest individuals using the internet to facilitate sexual crimes against children.

Vincent Antonio, 36, was given supervised release; his bail was set at $10,000. HPD

 posing as underage teens on the internet ran the sting operation from March 31 to April 2. the following men were arrested and charged with first-degree electronic enticement of a child; some were slapped with additional charges:

• Vincent Vitacion Antonio, 36, was given supervised release; his bail was set at $10,000.
• Micaiah Hoomaikai Smith, 31, was additionally charged with attempting to promote pornography for minors. His bail was set at $15,000 and he was released after posting bail.
• Joseph Michael Marshall, 42, was given supervised releases with bail set at $10,000.
• Ryen Knapp, 40, was additionally charged with endangering the welfare of minor. His bail was set at $50,000 and he was released after posting bail.

In lieu of a preliminary hearing, Grand Jury indictments were subsequently issued for all four men on April 5 and further proceedings will be heard in Circuit Court.

For the operation, the Hawaiʻi Police Department partnered with the Hawaiʻi County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hawai’i Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which consists of personnel and law enforcement officers from the Honolulu Police Department, Maui Police Department, Department of Attorney General, Homeland Security Investigations and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.