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A convicted felon on probation for two burglaries is in custody for allegedly exposing himself to minors at a public park and for attempting to pull a 10-year-old boy who saw him masturbating into a park restroom Sunday.
An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Thursday charging Jerome Apostadiro, 29, with kidnapping and three counts of misdemeanor sexual assault. The sex assault charges resulted from Apostadiro allegedly exposing his genitals to the boy, a girl and a man who told him to leave the park.
Circuit Judge Richard Perkins confirmed bail for Apostadiro at $75,000.
Deputy Prosecutor Kyle Dowd told Perkins that Apostadiro was exposing his genitals to children at Makaha Valley Park on Sunday afternoon.
The park is adjacent to Makaha Elementary School.
Police said Apostadiro was masturbating and attempting to lure juveniles into the park’s female restroom.
Dowd said a 19-year-old man confronted Apostadiro and told him to leave. He said a 10-year-old boy, who thought that Apostadiro had left, found Apostadiro masturbating in the male restroom.
Police said when the boy tried to leave, Apostadiro grabbed him by the left arm and tried to pull him into the restroom.
After struggling with Apostadiro for about a minute, the boy was able to break free and alert someone to call police, Dowd said. The struggle, however, left a bruise on the boy’s arm.
Police said juveniles flagged down a responding officer and told him Apostadiro had fled toward the school. The officer arrested Apostadiro at the entrance to the school.