Three American men who traveled to Cambodia on a child sex tourism trip will face charges in the U.S. as part of a crackdown on Americans who travel overseas to have sex with children. The three men, all convicted sex offenders, will be the first to be prosecuted for child sex tourism under the new program called "Operation Twisted Traveler," which is an initiative targeting child sex problems in Cambodia.
According to John Morton, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cambodia is "ground zero for child sex tourism."
The arrest, expulsion and prosecution of the three American men should serve notice to all others planning on traveling abroad for the purpose of having child sex.
"Let their arrests serve as notice to any other person who might be tempted to evade justice by victimizing children outside of this country," Morton said. "Boarding a plane to a foreign land is no protection."
The three U.S. men facing child sex tourism charges were identified as Ronald Boyajian, Erik Peeters and Jack Sporich. All three men were arrested in February by Cambodian police.
Boyajian, 49, of Menlo Park, Calif., having sex with a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl on a child sex tourism trip to Cambodia in September of 2008.
Peeters, 41, of Norwalk, Calif., allegedly paid three Cambodian boys between $5 and $10 to have sex with them on his Cambodian child sex tourism trip.
Sporich, 75, of Sedona, Ariz., allegedly drive through the streets of Cambodia dropping Cambodian currency to attract children according to witnesses. He allegedly engaged in child sex with at least one Cambodian boy.
All three men will faces charges in the U.S. where punishment for their Cambodian child sex tourism crimes are subject to much more severe punishment. U.S. authorities are able to prosecute Americans for child sex crimes committed overseas pursuant to the Protect Act, which became law in 2003 and makes it easier for U.S. authorities to prosecute people for overseas sex crimes.
Written by Gabriel Dorman
Los Angeles, California
gabedorman@gmail.com
www.criminaldefenseduilawyer.com/blog/
Exclusively for HULIQ.com
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