3 Charged for Sex Travel to Cambodia

(AP)  Three men expelled from Cambodia are facing charges in the U.S. as part of a crackdown on Americans who travel overseas to have sex with children, authorities said Monday.

The three previously convicted sex offenders were the first to be charged under "Operation Twisted Traveler," an initiative targeting problems in Cambodia, which authorities described as ground zero for the crimes.

"Let their arrests serve as notice to any other person who might be tempted to evade justice by victimizing children outside of this country," said John Morton, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "Boarding a plane to a foreign land is no protection."

Ronald Boyajian, Erik Peeters and Jack Sporich arrived in Los Angeles late Monday escorted by U.S. authorities after being arrested in February by Cambodian police, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

The three suspects were named in separate criminal complaints filed in April and May related to child sexual exploitation. They are expected to appear in court Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if the men have lawyers in the U.S.

ICE has stationed an agent in Cambodia full-time for at least a year to focus in large part on such cases.

Boyajian, 49, of Menlo Park, is accused of traveling to Cambodia in September 2008 and paying a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl to perform sex acts.

Peeters, 41, of Norwalk, engaged in sex acts with at least three Cambodian boys, authorities said. He gave their parents money and rice, and paid two of the boys between $5 and $10, the criminal complaint said.

Sporich, 75, of Sedona, Arizona, sexually abused at least one Cambodian boy, authorities said. Witnesses claim Sporich drove his motor bike through the streets of Siem Riep, dropping Cambodian currency to attract children.

Several boys stayed at his home in Cambodia, which had a swimming pool, water slide, video games, toys and clothing, authorities said.

All three men were charged under the Protect Act, which became law in 2003 and made it easier for U.S. authorities to prosecute people for overseas sex crimes. ICE has made more than 70 arrests under the Act in countries including Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines, officials said.

Authorities wanted to bring the men back to the U.S. because they could face sentences of up to 30 years for each alleged victim, if convicted, said U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien.

"We believe that the sentences that they're going to be facing, should they be convicted in U.S. custody, are going to be severely stronger sentences," he said.

Jeffrey Blom, vice president of investigations for the rights group International Justice Mission, said he would rather see accused sex offenders face charges in this country, where the justice system is tougher.

Federal authorities in California have tried to crack down on U.S. citizens seeking sex overseas. Retired Marine captain Michael Joseph Pepe awaits sentencing for having sex with preteen girls while working as a teacher in Cambodia.

Some of the girls testified at his trial that Pepe drugged, bound, beat and raped them.

[psychoanalysis]

A person who grown up eating potentates, said the potatoes were delicious, but when they tasted of rice, said that rice was horrible. What a absent minded person of these people. What right do they have of placing judgment of how they live? A woman sell her daughter so that she have few dollars live by,?if she is rich, do you think she would still sell her daughter? For those who hate people having sex with minor, why don?t you donate your money to the poor in Cambodia? May be, when the Cambodian are getting richer from the donation, then they just do sex for fun?.

[SkirtLifter]

by toldyouso29 September 1, 2009 8:55 AM EDT
""...it helps the rapist to distance himself. He reasons that everyone likes sex--and he is doing nothing to the kid that others have not done so the kid is used to it---then he tells himself that he is not a pedophile because sex is "legal" at that age in the country he is in...sort of like a step or foster father who rapes the stepkid or foster kid and tells himself he is really not raping and it really is not that bad because the kid is not his natural child.""
__________________
Are you a Psychologist or Psychiatrist? I hope so, because if you aren't, I wonder how you are so familiar with the inner workings of the mind of the pedo! Takes one to know one?

[GTR5]

Someone should ask how these ex-cons were allowed to get passports from the State Dept. If they didn't have passports they couldn't fly to Asia. Sex offenders like these three monsters shouldn't be allowed to have passports.

[jackp32]

Suggestion: Anyone flying to Cambodia who is a convicted sex offender gets dropped out of the plane over the ocean. This is much better than charging them after they have molested a child in Cambodia.

[riddelup]

I think any one who has sex with a child should be incarcerated for life regardless of citizenship or local laws. I also wonder if this method of prosecution is a step toward Americans being prosecuted for all things legal in the country they visit but illegal in the U.S.. Next prosecuted for something legal in one state yet illegal in their state of residence.

[toldyouso29]

by tiredofthebs September 1, 2009 2:47 AM EDT
The statutory age in most Asian nations is 13. Only in the US is the age so high. Are you familiar with the Jewish tradition of Bar Mitvah? It celebrates Manhood for teens around 13. Many that age are capable of reproduction. Only in the US are teens treated like children."

Is that you tucker? Still trying to justify you and others lusting after and pursuing grown men raping children? It does not matter what the laws are in other countries--the men are American citizens still subject to American laws and in most countries there is no age of consent because there is nothing on the books about sexual consent--and no child would willing consent to being busted open by a grown up man--most are forced into prostitution--either sold by desperate parents or pimped out by them or stolen, drugged for sex--anyone who tries to justify grown ups having sex with kids (anyone under 17) is a freak and a deviant themselves, no matter how they change their name. YOu are all Phillip Garridos in disguise.

[toldyouso29]

The faces of these latest pedophiles should be plastered all over tv.. we need to know who they are and where they lived--we need to know if we live next door to them or if they are at our church, coaching the little league or soccer teams or if they are selling us car insurance.

[quapawsix]

Simple Solution to this problem if caught and convicted then castorate them that sends a strong message to the rest of these animals do the crime and we will give you a whole new meaning to the term Being Cut Off.

[Benton09]

Saw the headline and I thought it was Foley, Craig and Vitter on vacation together.

[babooph]

Have the three gone back to their seats in congress?