A former Oahu public school teacher awaiting trial on state allegations that he sexually assaulted a student was sentenced Tuesday to 210 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing child pornography in the same case.
When Alden M. Bunag, 35, is done serving 17-1/2 years behind bars, he will be on federal probation for the next 15 years, Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway ordered Tuesday.
Bunag must also pay $30,000 in restitution, $5,100 in special assessments and a production of child pornography conviction assessment of $50,000.
He has been in custody
at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu since June 21, 2022.
In a Jan. 11 letter to Oki Mollway, Bunag said he recognizes the “severely detrimental effects that my actions had on the victims, their families, and every student associated with me.”
“I have such deep regret for what I’ve done that I ended up developing depression and anxiety as well as a firm determination to get the treatment and support I need to never do this again,” said Bunag. “I fully acknowledge that it is my fault alone for committing this crime. I’ve recognized that along with being fairly emotionally immature to the point where it was more easy for me to develop friendships with people much younger than me than my fellow peers, this behavior is not appropriate and I need treatment to learn how to set appropriate boundaries and be in healthy relationships.”
Bunag’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Jacquelyn T. Esser, wrote that Bunag suffers from
“religious trauma” that causes individuals “delayed social milestones and
sexual dysfunction.”
Bunag was denied a “normal outlet for sexual exploration during his early pubescent years, he viewed his own homosexual desires as wrong, hindering his proper maturation,” according to Esser.
“It emphasizes that LGBTQIA+ individuals, in particular, like Mr. Bunag, may encounter challenges experiencing social milestones, such as first dates or kisses, until adulthood. Recognizing these difficulties is crucial for understanding Mr. Bunag’s actions in this case,” wrote Esser in a
Jan. 12 exhibit attached to her sentencing memorandum. “By identifying his trauma and understanding the root cause of his actions, we enable Mr. Bunag to embark on a healing journey and undergo rehabilitation, thereby reducing the likelihood of recidivism.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca A. Perlmutter prosecuted the case for the government.
Bunag was indicted
Sept. 30, 2022, in state court on charges of continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14 and promoting child abuse.
A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 29 in the state case.
He entered into a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on
May 19.
In exchange for his guilty plea, federal prosecutors agreed not to pursue charges related to material found on his electronic devices that were seized by federal agents.
Bunag worked from 2016 to 2017 as a part-time temporary teacher at Ilima Intermediate School.
He had been a substitute teacher since 2017 in the Leeward District and had worked in various positions since 2012.
Bunag was most recently a part-time teacher at Pearl City High School, where he had held a permanent secondary teaching position from 2020 to 2021.
Bunag was charged June 15, 2022, in federal court with distribution of child pornography but was not charged with sexual assault since that is not the U.S. Department of Justice’s jurisdiction.
The federal criminal information alleges Bunag, in
online chats with a Philadelphia teacher, said he had sex with a 13-year-old former student during lunch breaks at school.
Bunag also said he used camera equipment to record multiple “sexual encounters” with the boy.
The state indictment charges him with three counts of continuous sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14 for allegedly engaging in three or more sexual acts from Aug. 1, 2016, to Sept. 27, 2017.
FBI agents investigating a male middle school teacher in Philadelphia notified agents in Honolulu that the Philadelphia educator and Bunag had exchanged at least 3,392 messages, including hundreds of pornographic images and videos of children.
