Kona psychologist sentenced to 20 years prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a minor

A clinical psychologist was sentenced in Kona Circuit Court to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a minor in 2019.

Reuben Lelah, 71, of Kailua-Kona, who had remained out of custody on $40,000 bail for the duration of the proceedings, was then ordered to be taken into custody forthwith to begin serving his sentence.

Lelah pleaded guilty on March 15 to two counts of second-degree sexual assault, which is a class B felony. The incidents occurred between June and December.

Lelah, who was the president of the nonprofit Loving Service Foundation, specialized in treating children and teenagers who were dying or are chronically ill, as well as youth with mental illness.

He was initially arrested in June 2023.