Former Niu Valley school aide pleads not guilty in sexting case

A 25-year-old former Niu Valley Middle School teacher’s aide was arraigned in Circuit Court this morning and entered a plea of not guilty to charges that he allegedly exchanged sexual text messages with a 12-year-old student.

Cody Onizuka will go on trial the week of Oct. 10.

He was indicted by an Oahu grand jury on Tuesday on one count of promoting child abuse, third degree; and one count of violating a restraining order. Third-degree promoting child abuse is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Violating a restraining order is a misdemeanor.

Bail for Onizuka is set at $11,000.

Police said Onizuka met the victim at the middle school where he worked with special needs students in 2009.

Onizuka first tried to establish a sexual relationship with the girl in 2010, according to the indictment. The victim’s mother obtained a temporary restraining order against Onizuka when she found out. 

The indictment says Onizuka then bought the girl cell phones and had students deliver it to her home. He’s accused of convincing her to send him nude photographs of herself through the phone.

The Department of Education fired Onizuka last year.