Man sentenced to ten years in prison for domestic violence

A 45-year-old Hilo man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on August 22 for violently attacking his estranged girlfriend last Christmas Eve.

Hilo District Court Judge Henry Nakamoto imposed the sentence on Elswood E. Noeau.

Noeau pleaded no contest to the kidnapping and domestic violence counts on May 7.

According to police reports, the incident occurred after Noeau's estranged girlfriend arrived at Noeau's Hilo residence to visit her three minor children for the Christmas holidays.

In exchange for Noeau's no-contest plea, prosecutors dropped two charges: second-degree sexual assault, first- and second-degree theft, second-degree unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.

Noeau was on probation at the time of the incident for a previous domestic violence conviction.

The charge was kidnapping because the victim was held with the intent to cause her physical harm. The charge of domestic violence was that the assault took place in front of minors under the age of 14.

Prosecutors called for a prison sentence for Noeau, while Noeau's lawyer asked for probation again.

At the sentencing hearing, Nakamoto mentioned the services offered to him during his probation and, according to court records, told Noeau that despite those services, a prison sentence was appropriate in his case due to the escalation of Noeau's behavior.

The charge of kidnapping is a Class B felony punishable by up to ten years in prison, and the charge of domestic violence is a Class C felony punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.

Email John Burnett at [email protected]