Inmate on work furlough accused of sexual assault

A 45-year-old convicted serial rapist who was on work furlough from prison allegedly sexually assaulted a woman after telling her that he was a police officer and "she was going to get in trouble" if she didn’t have sex with him, according to a police affidavit.

Michael Lee Carter was charged Thursday with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman Sept. 15 after representing himself as a law enforcement officer. His bail was set at $500,000.

He was already serving a 10-year sentence for forcing another woman to have sex with him by telling her he was a police officer.

Carter was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Chinatown at North Kukui Street and Nuu­anu Avenue after the victim identified him.

Carter has been at the Lau­maka Work Furlough Center since June and was allowed to leave in the morning and required to return at night, according to the Department of Public Safety.

The program prepares inmates for re-entry into society. Carter’s current sentence is scheduled to end Oct. 3.

The victim told police that she met the suspect at a downtown drugstore at 7:20 a.m. Sept. 15.

Carter approached the woman and offered to give her drugs for sex, according to the affidavit filed in Hono­lulu District Court on Friday.

The 21-year-old said she refused Carter’s offer.

The suspect then asked the victim whether she wanted "to smoke drugs with him," according to the affidavit. When the victim agreed, the two went to Royal Elementary School, which was closed because it was Sunday, several blocks away on Queen Emma Street. The victim said Carter had a white, powdery substance that appeared to be cocaine.

Carter threatened the victim by telling her he was a police officer, the affidavit said. When she refused his demands for sex, he allegedly choked her and sexually assaulted her.

Police were unable to find Carter in September after the victim filed a police report.

On Wednesday afternoon the victim flagged down a police officer and reported that she saw the suspect sitting at a bus stop on Hotel Street near Ala­kea Street.

Carter has an extensive criminal and sex assault record beginning in 1993.

He was first convicted of third-degree sex assault in 1993. In 2005 he was convicted of impersonating a law enforcement officer, kidnapping and several counts of sexual assault. Carter was sentenced to 10 years, of which 40 months was declared the mandatory minimum sentence.

Carter was slated to go before the parole board in January.