Puna man, 44, arrested on 15 ‘sexual-related offenses' against minors, bail set at $4.8M
PUNA, Hawai'i (KHON2) — After a months-long investigation, a Hawai'i Island man is being charged with 15 offenses related to child abuse and alleged sexual assault of minors.
Joseph Donald Tibbs, 44, of Puna, was arrested on seven counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of first-degree promoting child abuse, two counts of second-degree promoting child abuse, two counts of incest, and two counts of use of a computer in the commission of a separate crime.
According to the Hawai'i Police Department, investigators began looking into Tibbs in March 2025 after receiving tips about him allegedly possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, which is colloquially known as child pornography.
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Tibbs was allegedly in possession of at least 30 images related to child pornography, and is also accused of sexually assaulting juveniles, according to court documents.
'During the course of this investigation, police determined that Tibbs had allegedly been engaging in sexual conduct with minors for over a period of one year,' Hawai'i Police said Monday.
Tibbs was arrested on May 29, and charges were filed on May 30. After he was arrested, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on Tibbs' residence and recovered 'various sexual-related evidence' and several electronic devices.Officials were able to identify some of the victims in photos and videos, but said there may be additional victims who have not yet been identified.
The investigation is ongoing, and police have asked anyone with any information related to the investigation to contact Detective Chandler Nacino of the Vice Section in Kona at (808) 326-4646, extension 312, or email Chandler.Nacino@hawaiicounty.gov.
Tibbs' bail has been set at $4,815,000. His first court appearance was scheduled for June 2 in Hilo District Court.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between several agencies, including the Hawai'i Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hawai'i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and the Maui Police Department.
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Anyone who suspects someone of committing crimes against children is asked to report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), which has a 24-hour hotline available at 1-800-843-5678. Alternatively, you call dial 911 or call Crime Stoppers.
Charges are allegations only, and all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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