Hawaii snack company owner won’t serve time behind bars for child molestation

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The owner of Ohana Style Snacks was sentenced to five years probation Tuesday for molesting a child for several years, but will not serve any time behind bars.

Under his plea deal with prosecutors, Michael Dat Cheng pleaded no contest to the charges.

He was also ordered to pay $13,400 in restitution to the victim, serve 500 hours of community service and register as a sex offender.

“While this court was constrained by the plea agreement in imposing any additional jail to you, Mr. Cheng, your conduct did have devastating and life-long consequences to the victim,” Circuit Court Judge Todd Eddins told the defendant.

“Your conduct was deviant. It was odious. And it really affected and probably will affect throughout her whole life.”

Prosecutors said the plea deal meant that the victim would not have to go through a difficult and potentially traumatizing trial.

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