School custodian charged in sex assault on student

A 53-year-old Wahiawa man working as a school custodian has been charged with sexually assaulting a student at Kanoelani Elementary School in Waipio Gentry.

James Holt, who has been a Department of Education employee since 2000, was arrested at the school Aug. 27 on suspicion of first-degree sex assault. He was charged Monday with the lesser offense of third-degree sex assault, according to court records. He posted $50,000 bail.

A Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman said the department could not release information or comment on the status of the investigation because the victim is a minor. Kanoelani serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Holt is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Thursday morning in Honolulu District Court.

Holt is classified as a casual, at-will employee, according to the DOE. His future employment status is pending the outcome of the case.

Kanoelani Elementary Principal Stacie Kunihisa sent a letter to parents Tuesday, informing them that the school "initiated a criminal investigation into an alleged sexual assault that took place last week on our school campus. The incident … involved an adult and a student. The Police Department was immediately notified and an adult male who worked as a substitute custodian was arrested."

"Please know the safety of our students and staff is our top priority," Kunihisa wrote. "Procedures for safety are practiced regularly and staff will continue to be extremely vigilant in keeping a safe environment."

Holt is charged with the section of state law that says a person commits third-degree sex assault when he or she "knowingly subjects to sexual contact another person who is less than 14 years old or causes such a person to have sexual contact with the person." The offense is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.