Ex-MPD officer serving time for fraud is sentenced in child enticement case

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Former Maui police officer Brandon Saffeels was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday for attempting to solicit sex from a minor.

The sentencing comes a year after he was ordered to serve two and 1/2 years for offering to sabotage a Kahului woman’s drunk driving case in exchange for sex.

“This guy was was a ticking time bomb. What he has gotten away with in that Maui community, we will never know,” said attorney Michael Green, who represents several women who have accused Saffeels of misconduct.

“You can’t get your head around this. ... It would be like a bad novel to read stuff like this. But it did happen.”

Saffeel’s attorney said his client has already served about a year in prison and that experience has changed him for the better.

“Brandon has done everything he could in his power to take responsibility for his actions,” said attorney John Schum.

Federal authorities said Saffeels admitted he sent text messages seeking sex for money from an undercover officer posing as a 13-year old girl. When Saffeels showed up at a Maui store last December to meet her, he was arrested.

That arrest came a month after Saffeel was convicted on the public corruption charge involving the Kahului woman.

He was given 30 months in prison for that crime but he will serve that sentence concurrently with the 10-year mandatory prison term for child enticement.

In addition to his sentence, Saffeels must register as a sex offender with state authorities.

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