Ocean View Man Indicted on Sex Assault Charges to Appear in 3rd Circuit Court

An Ocean View man wanted on an outstanding $150,000 Grand Jury Indictment bench warrant is back in custody.

Forty-three-year-old John Lee Franks was initially charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14 in Kona District Court on Feb. 17. Over the prosecutor’s objection, District Court Judge Kimberly Taniyama reduced his bail to 50,000 from the original amount of $150,000.

The prosecutor’s office filed an indictment in 3rd Circuit Court on Feb. 23, issuing a bench warrant for Franks’ arrest. Prosecutors elected to present the case before the Grand Jury prior to his preliminary hearing slated for Thursday, March 10, in Kona District Court.

On Tuesday, March 7, Franks was escorted back to Hawai‘i Island by Hawai‘i County Prosecutor’s Investigators who extradited him from O‘ahu to face his criminal charges after his coordinated arrest by Honolulu Police outside of the Castle Medical Center in Kailua.

As the Indictment alleges, Franks is charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, a class A felony, and a single count of continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14, which occurred between November 2021 and February 2022.

A class A felony offense and carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Franks is scheduled to make his initial appearance on today in Kona Circuit Court. He remains in custody in lieu of $150,000 bail.