Prison guard banned for life from Hawaii public schools after alleged attack

1/2
Swipe or click to see more

COURTESY PHOTO

In this screenshot made from video, Natalie Iwamoto was seen in security camera footage from Dec. 4 being allegedly punched to the ground by Noga Jr. outside of Moanalua High School gym.

2/2
Swipe or click to see more

COURTESY PHOTO

Aukusitino I. Noga Jr.

The state Department of Education secured a lifetime ban on a man accused of punching Moanalua High School’s associate athletic director after harassing referees at his son’s exhibition basketball game Dec. 4.

Aukusitino I. Noga Jr., a prison guard and his wife, Jamielee Noga, have been permanently banned from all state Department of Education campuses and properties in Hawaii.

Natalie Iwamoto was seen in security camera footage from Dec. 4 being punched to the ground by Noga Jr. outside of Moanalua High School gym. Iwamoto suffered a concussion and was on the ground for at least 10 minutes after the attack.

Noga Jr., who is 6 feet, 1 inches and 310 pounds, was allegedly angry after his son was whistled for two fouls in close succession during an exhibition game between Moanalua and Mililani High. His son had received a technical foul.

It was the parents’ inappropriate heckling of the referees, which allegedly included swearing and a racist remark, that prompted Iwamoto to escort the officials to their cars after the game.

Noga’s wife, Jamilee, is heard on a recording of the exhibition game yelling “you better wake up ref,” asking “what are you doing” and declaring “f—- this.”

Don't miss out on what's happening!

Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!

Email Sign Up
By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser's and Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA.

Noga Jr. allegedly singled out one of the three officials based on his skin color, saying “white ref you suck,” in the footage. The Nogas’ also allegedly told Iwamoto she deserved to get knocked out for protecting the referees.

Iwamoto was granted a three-year protective order against Noga Jr. this morning after she filed a petition for a temporary restraining order. He is prohibited from “contacting, threatening or harassing” Iwamoto, according to state court records. That contact includes but is not limited to telephone, cell phone, mail, facsimile, pager, electronic mail, internet, text messages, social networking sites, according to the order.

Noga Jr. cannot enter or visit Iwamoto’s residence, including yard and garage, or her workplace and school.

Superintendent Keith Hayashi told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday that what happened to Iwamoto is “horrific and unacceptable.”

“No one’s safety should be jeopardized while doing their job — especially at a school event meant to support students and bring the community together. Our employees deserve to feel safe and supported, and I’m committed to making sure that happens,” said Hayashi. “The choices we make have consequences — something we work hard to teach our students. In this case, the individual made a series of deliberate choices: he stayed after the game, waited for the referees to exit the gym, followed them, and ultimately assaulted a school employee.”

Noga Jr. has been arrested and convicted three times in state court during his nearly 14-year career as a corrections officer. He was arrested and convicted of misdemeanor criminal property damage and harassment in 2019, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct in 2017, according to state court records. He paid fines totaling $350 and spent two days in jail for his crimes.

See more:Crime in HawaiiEditors' PicksEducation

197 Comments
By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines. Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.
Please log in to comment