2 Kaua‘i Men Accused of Enticing a Minor on the Internet

Two Kaua‘i men were arrested following a joint police operation to identify and apprehend online sexual predators targeting children.

This past weekend, Kaua‘i Police Department executed operation Keiki Shield, in partnership with the Department of the Attorney General, its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, or ICAC, along with numerous federal and military law enforcement partner and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

Operation Keiki Shield is an ongoing effort to identify, locate, and arrest offenders who commit Internet-facilitated sexual crimes against children and to identify and rescue child victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Authorities this weekend arrested Nicholas Wehrly, 34, of Ele‘ele, and Eric Nakamoto, 39, of Hanamaulu. The men face first-degree electronic enticement of a child and both have bail set at $20,000.

“Speaking as a father and husband, there is nothing more important to me than the safety of our Keiki,” said Kaua‘i Police Chief Todd Raybuck.

Since the first iteration of Operation Keiki Shield on Kaua‘i in November 2019, five suspects have been arrested on the Garden Isle.

Operation Keiki Shield 14 was hosted by KPD and included officers and agents from the Kaua‘i Police Department, the Department of the Attorney General, ICAC Taskforce, the Maui Police Department, the Honolulu Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu.

For tips on staying safe for children, teens, and adults, click here.