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Keaau man, 38, charged with multiple offenses

COURTESY HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
                                Suspect Brandon Blye, 38, of Keaau, charged with multiple crimes including attempted sexual assault, robbery, drug offenses, property crimes.
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COURTESY HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Suspect Brandon Blye, 38, of Keaau, charged with multiple crimes including attempted sexual assault, robbery, drug offenses, property crimes.

A 38-year-old Keaau man was arrested and charged with 15 offenses ranging from sexual assault and robbery to drug offenses.

Brandon Blye made his initial appearance Tuesday in Hilo District Court.

He was charged Monday by Hawaii County police, after conferring with the Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office, with the following offenses: Attempted first-degree burglary, fourth-degree criminal property damage, second-degree criminal tampering, drug and drug paraphernalia offenses, first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, second-degree criminal property damage, second-degree robbery, attempted first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault and three counts of habitual property crime.

Blye’s bail was set at $197,000.

Police said the charges stem from several different incidents beginning in late August to Sunday.

Puna patrol officers arrested and charged Blye Sunday on a bench warrant for revocation of bail, recognizance or supervised release.

Officers responded Sunday to a burglary in progress in Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in Keaau.

The homeowner, who was not home at the time, reported seeing a man trying to break into his home on video surveillance and then damaging the surveillance system.

Police were able to identify Blye using video surveillance, and that he was the same suspect in another burglary.

On Sept. 1, the victim of a burglary told police the suspect took numerous items and damaged several doors and tampered with the video surveillance cameras. The homeowner provided police with video surveillance, which led to Blye’s identification.

That same day in the same neighborhood, a woman reported being assaulted by a man who broke into a disabled elderly woman’s home, where she worked.

The woman told police he grabbed her hair and slammed her head and face against the house, causing her to temporarily lose consciousness. He then dragged her to the ground, hit her and tried to sexually assault her.

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