10/25/24 Detective Nacino is honored as a top cop for his investigation into internet crimes against children

Hawaii Police Department
Boss’s office
Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz
Phone: (808) 961-2244

Media release

Detective Chandler Nacino of the Hawai’i Police Department received the Top Cop Hawai’i 2024 award from the Law Enforcement and Security Coalition of Hawai’i during a ceremony in Honolulu on Friday, October 18, 2024. Detective Nacino was honored for his proactive efforts to resolve a complex, months-long investigation into social media, child exploitation and child pornography.

In April 2023, the Hawaii Police Department received a report of a juvenile who was “combing” and encouraging other youth to harm themselves through the use of social media. Detective Nacino was newly promoted to detective in the Area II Juvenile Services Division and immediately went into action.

As a member of the department’s Special Response Team, Detective Nacino is also a Task Force Officer with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI-TFO). He utilized all of his available resources as a detective and HSI-TFO, working extensively with federal authorities and being actively involved in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC).

Online crimes against children are often complex, difficult investigations that require a lot of time and legwork. Their frequency is increasing both in Hawaii and across the country.

Over the course of nine months, Detective Nacino wrote and served numerous search warrants and reviewed and investigated a variety of cyber tips in his efforts to gather evidence. As a result of its investigation, police arrested a 17-year-old suspect on December 15, 2023 and seized more than 100 images containing child sexual abuse material.

The suspect remained in custody until he turned 18^Th Birthday and was allowed to pay a deposit. As part of his release, the suspect was not allowed to own a smartphone. Detective Nacino received information that the suspect, now 18, had violated the conditions of his release and was in possession of a smartphone. Once Detective Nacino confirmed this information, he was able to issue an arrest warrant and the suspect was arrested on August 12, 2024. The suspect was charged with 10 crimes, including promoting child abuse, distributing child pornography and using a computer in the commission of a crime. His bail was set at $130,000.

“Detective Nacino invests 110 percent in every investigation, regardless of classification,” said Lieutenant Bobbi-Jo Sagon of the Area II Juvenile Aid Section, who nominated Nacino for the award.

“His positivity, enthusiasm, passion and drive are infectious. Detective Nacino truly cares about each unknown victim and understands the totality of the trauma caused by these types of predators.”

Since 1984, the Law Enforcement and Security Coalition of Hawai’i has honored individuals among local, state, federal and military law enforcement and security professionals who have demonstrated outstanding professionalism, dedication, heroism and community service during the past year. Individuals nominated by their respective organizations will be presented with the TOP COP award at the event.