OHIO, United States (CMC) — A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has returned an indictment charging an Ohio man with four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.

According to court documents, Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, travelled from the United States to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organisation, Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), and sexually abused minors in that country.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States (US) to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Each count of the indictment is premised on his sexual abuse of a different minor in Haiti.

“As alleged, this defendant travelled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation,” said acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

“Despite the fact that the defendant’s alleged crimes occurred abroad, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors will continue to relentlessly seek justice on behalf of the minor victims. Wherever the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in the intolerable crime of abusing and exploiting children.”

US attorney, David Toepfer, for the Northern District of Ohio, said crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible.

“Such appalling and morally corrupt behaviour will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We commend the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today,” he added.

Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge, Matthew Stentz, said the case highlights the vital role HSI plays in identifying and investigating individuals, especially those in positions of trust who exploit children, regardless of where these heinous crimes occur.

“HSI Cleveland, in collaboration with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice, work diligently to ensure that those who prey on children abroad are held accountable here in the United States.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that predators face the full weight of the law wherever our investigations lead,” Stenz said.

HSI Cleveland said it is investigating the case and received substantial assistance from the Holmes County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office.

The US authorities say this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.