MEDIA RELEASE

Benjamin Krome

A 42-year-old Mountain View man was charged with promoting prostitution and several offenses related to the possession of child pornography.

On Friday (May 5), officers and detectives from the Area I Vice Section arrested Benjamin Krome of Mountain View during a prostitution investigation at a residence in Kalapana.

Yesterday (May 7), Krome was charged with three counts of second degree promoting child abuse and promoting prostitution. The prostitution arrest involved an adult prostitute. No children were physically present. The promoting child abuse charges involved digital images only.

He is currently being held at the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $21,250 bail pending his initial appearance in South Hilo District Court scheduled for this afternoon (May 8).