Former Maui police officer pleads guilty to attempted enticement of a child

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A former Maui police officer who was convicted in a high-profile federal case pleaded guilty to a child enticement charge Tuesday.

Brandon Saffels admitted to contacting someone he believed was a teen girl online and offering her money for sex. In December, he showed up at a store where he thought he would be meeting the girl.

He was arrested as part of a joint law enforcement operation aimed at tracking down child predators.

In January, Saffeels was set to surrender to federal authorities after being sentenced to 30 months in prison for soliciting sex from a woman he arrested in 2019.

The charge he pleaded guilty to ― attempted enticement of a minor ― carries a mandatory sentence of not less than 10 years behind bars and up to $250,000. He is set to be sentenced in September.

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