Hilo, Hawaiʻi – Joseph Donald Tibbs, 44, of Puna, has pleaded “Guilty” to charges related to multiple sexual assaults of minors and promoting child abuse. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between February and May 2025, and are the result of a months-long collaborative investigation by state and federal agencies.
Tibbs appeared in Hilo Circuit Court on Monday, July 21, 2025, where he entered “Guilty” pleas to two counts of Promoting Child Abuse in the First Degree (Counts 1 and 2) and four counts of Sexual Assault in the First Degree (Counts 7, 8, 9, and 10). According to the change of plea form, Tibbs has agreed to serve a forty-year prison term. Counts 1, 7, and 9 will be served concurrently for a twenty-year sentence, and Counts 2, 8, and 10 will be served concurrently for a consecutive twenty-year sentence. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Tibbs, who remains in custody after being denied bail (originally set at $4,815,000 following his arrest), has been ordered to appear for his sentencing hearing on October 15, 2025.
Background of the Investigation: Tibbs’ arrest and subsequent plea are the culmination of a months-long collaborative investigation that began in March 2025. Law enforcement was initially alerted to Tibbs through tips identifying him as being in possession of, and electronically disseminating, various forms of child pornography-related material.
On Friday evening, May 30, 2025, Tibbs was arrested and initially charged with a more extensive array of offenses, including seven counts of first-degree sexual assault, multiple counts of promoting child abuse (first and second degree), incest, and use of a computer in the commission of a crime. On Thursday morning, May 29, law enforcement arrested Tibbs shortly after he left his Mountain View residence. Following his arrest, police executed a search warrant on his residence where numerous electronic devices and various sexual-related evidence were recovered. During the course of this investigation, police determined that Tibbs had allegedly been engaging in sexual conduct with minors for over a period of one year.
Investigators have identified some of the female victims in photos and videos, but authorities note that there appear to be additional victims who police have yet to identify. The investigation remains continuing as investigators conduct forensic examinations of evidence and attempt to identify additional potential victims.
Collaborative Law Enforcement Effort: This collaborative law enforcement investigation included the Hawaiʻi State Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC), Hawaiʻi Police Department, Maui Police Department, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The ICAC Taskforce is part of a cooperative nationwide network dedicated to protecting children in the online environment, investigating and prosecuting those who victimize children through computers and the internet.
The felony investigation was led by Chief Investigator Daniel Pang of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and Detective Chandler Nacino of Vice-West, Hawaiʻi Police Department. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Annaliese Wolf is prosecuting the case.
Both Sexual Assault in the First Degree and Promoting Child Abuse in the First Degree are Class A felony offenses, each carrying a maximum penalty of a twenty-year prison term.
If you have knowledge of or suspect someone of committing crimes against children, police urge you to report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) 24-hour hotline at 1-800-843-5678, Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300, or call 911.