Nāʻālehu Man Faces Child Abuse Charges After Police Investigation

by Thunda
1 minutes read

Hawai‘i Police Department Vice detectives, in partnership with the Hawai‘i Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, have arrested and charged 43-year-old Dawson Dominador Pilanca of Nā‘ālehu following a months-long investigation into child sexual exploitation.

Pilanca was arrested and charged on Thursday, May 1, 2025, with:

  • Second-degree promoting child abuse
  • Third-degree promoting child abuse

His bail is set at $100,000, and he remains in custody pending his initial court appearance on Friday, May 2, in Kona District Court.

The investigation was launched in December 2024 after a cyber tip revealed possession of child pornography. Vice detectives recovered over 70 graphic videos involving minors from Pilanca’s mobile device.

The Hawai‘i Police Department takes a hard stance that child exploitation will not be tolerated in our community. We will pursue every lead, use every tool, and partner across agencies to protect our keiki and bring offenders to justice.

The charges are merely allegations, and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and
until proven guilty.

Police ask that anyone with information regarding this incident call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.
 
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

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