A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has indicted Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, on four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti. According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti more than 30 times between November 2002 and August 2018, including trips with Christian Aid Ministries (CAM). The indictment alleges that he sexually abused different minors during these visits.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division stated: “As alleged, this defendant traveled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation. 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.”
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio commented: “Crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible. Such appalling and morally corrupt behavior 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.”
Matthew Stentz, acting Special Agent in Charge at HSI Detroit, said: “This 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, worked 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.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cleveland is leading the investigation with assistance from the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
The prosecution team includes Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
