Hanapepe man convicted in federal child pornography case

A federal jury convicted Roger Biggs, 40, of Hanapepe, on May 14 after a four-day trial, putting him on track for at least 15 years in prison and keeping him detained until sentencing on September 3.

Biggs was found guilty of producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, including material involving at least one child under the age of 12. The conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a punishment that underscores how seriously federal prosecutors are treating the case and how little room the court has at sentencing if the verdict stands.

The investigation started in December 2024, when the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an anonymous online complaint alleging sexual exploitation of a child and identifying the subject as Roger Wesley Biggs of Hanapepe. Agents later uncovered numerous CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, filed by members of the public and multiple social media platforms. That reporting trail, built from digital complaints and platform alerts, became the foundation for the federal case.

Trial evidence portrayed Biggs as a serial, self-described groomer who targeted children he believed were vulnerable. Prosecutors said he used direct messages on social media, sent thousands of messages, and tried to gain trust by sending photographs of himself, gifts, and money. He then used sexually explicit communications to persuade children to produce and send explicit images and videos.

Among the victims were two 14-year-olds on the U.S. mainland, and prosecutors said Biggs traveled to meet one of them in person. Investigators also said he possessed child pornography on his cellular phone, including at least one image of a prepubescent child under 12.

The verdict matters well beyond the courtroom in Honolulu. For Kauai families, schools, and law enforcement, the case shows how abuse can move through private messages, cross state lines, and leave a digital trail that depends on fast reporting from the public, platforms, and investigators. U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said the conviction sends a strong message that people who target children will be held accountable in federal court, and FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter said the bureau would not waver from its mission to identify and apprehend those who prey on children.