Cavillis Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Children For Years

A Kona jury on Friday convicted a Big Island man of multiple counts for sexual assaults on two children over a several-year period.

Derek M. Cavillis, 39, was convicted in Kona Circuit Court on all 10 counts for which he was charged.

They included six counts of sexual assault in the first degree, and four counts of third-degree sexual assault. The former are Class A felonies, each carrying a mandatory prison term of 20 years, while the latter are Class C felonies which carry a five-year maximum prison sentence.

That means Cavillis faces a prison term of up to 140 years when he is sentenced on Sept. 10.

Cavillis, who had been free on bond, was immediately remanded into custody following the two-week trial.

According to evidence presented during the trial, the two victims were repeatedly assaulted when they were between the ages of 5 and 8. Testimony was presented from the children, other witnesses, experts and police officers, county prosecutors said in a statement today.

The children did not come forward about the assaults for several years and told jurors that Cavillis had threatened them to remain silent.

Prosecutors told jurors that Cavillis confessed to the crimes before being arrested but later recanted, saying that he was high on methamphetamine when he made the confession.