Former JROTC Instructor Receives 168 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Student

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, October 27, 2022

HONOLULU – United States District Judge Jill A. Otake today sentenced Victor Aguilar, 66, of Kauai, Hawaii to 168 months of imprisonment and ten years of supervised release for two counts of possession of child pornography. Judge Otake also ordered $5,980 in restitution and imposed a $10,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Aguilar previously pleaded guilty to the child pornography offenses on May 11, 2022.

According to documents and information presented in court, Aguilar admitted that on at least two occasions in 2020, he knowingly possessed visual depictions of a minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He did this knowing that the minor victim was under the age of 18. At that time, Aguilar was an instructor for the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or JROTC, at Waimea High School, on Kauai, Hawaii, and the minor victim was one of his students. As Aguilar admitted in his plea agreement, he did not merely possess these visual depictions. Rather, he used, persuaded, or induced the minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing those visual depictions. Moreover, Aguilar admitted that, by his estimate, he had sexual contact with the minor victim approximately 25 times over a six-month period. This sexual exploitation of the minor victim occurred at school, in his vehicle, and in his home.

“The Court’s sentence reflects both the severity and tragedy of Mr. Aguilar’s crime of child sexual exploitation,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “As the Department of Justice increasingly focuses on the plight of victims – especially minors like Mr. Aguilar’s victim – our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute perpetrators of these heinous acts and protect victims as they move through the criminal justice system on a path towards healing.”

“Aguilar’s sentencing will hold him accountable for his crimes of exploiting children while in a position of trust,” said John F. Tobon, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu. “We appreciate the cooperation of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s office in prosecuting this case so Aguilar will no longer be able to abuse children.”

“The Kauai Police Department (KPD) thanks the dedicated investigators, Hawaii United States Attorney’s Office, Kauai Prosecuting Attorney’s office along with other State and Federal partners in the pursuit of justice and accountability pertaining to Victor Aguilar’s atrocious crimes against a minor,” said Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce of KPD’s Investigative Services Bureau. “The Court’s decision reflects the seriousness of the offenses committed against children. KPD will continue to pursue those who choose to prey on Kauai’s youth while working in collaboration with the appropriate stakeholders to accomplish this. We also recognize this victim including all victims of sexual assault and exploitation in our thoughts and prayers for continued healing and comfort.”

U.S. Attorney Connors praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Investigative Services Bureau’s Major Crimes Section and the Crime Scene and Laboratory Section of KPD. She also thanked the County of Kauai Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Waimea High School, the State of Hawaii Department of Education Equity Specialist for the Kauai District, the State of Hawaii Department of Education, the Hawaii Department of Education JROTC Command, and the Hawaii Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Services for their assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Smith handled the prosecution.

TGI: Aguilar served as the Waimea High School athletics coach and JROTC instructor from 1995 until his resignation 2021