Ex-Peace Corps Volunteer to Be Sentenced for Abusing Children
Jesse Osmun is accused of abusing children at AIDS center.
A former Peace Corps volunteer who pleaded guilty to sexually abused children, all younger than 6, while working at an AIDS center in South Africa, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Jesse Osmun, 32, of Glen Street in Milford, was a volunteer at the Umvoti AIDS Center in Greytown, South Africa, where he worked in the preschool after becoming a Peace Corps volunteer in 2010, authorities said.
While volunteering at the preschool, Osmun sexually molested at least five girls, who referred to him as "uncle" and gave them candy in exchange, according to documents.
“Instead of promoting peace and providing much needed assistance consistent with the mission of the Peace Corps, this volunteer took advantage of his position and sexually abused vulnerable young children at an AIDS center pre-school in South Africa,” U.S. Attorney David Fein said in a statement.
It was also investigated that Osmun engaged in illicit sexual conduct with a 5-year-old girl two times a week over the course of five months, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.
UAC is a non-governmental organization that provides support for those affected by the AIDS virus. They also provide education, food and services for children between the ages of 3 and 15.
“As this sentence demonstrates, there will be no refuge for child sexual predators who believe that they can victimize children outside the United States,” said Peter Vincent, director of HSI’s Office of International Affairs. “No place is too distant or too remote to escape the attention of HSI special agents, who conduct these types of investigations worldwide.”
Osmun was arrested at his house on Aug. 4, 2011 and has been detained since.
In June, Osmun waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of traveling from the United States to South Africa to engage in illicit sexual conduct with children and admitted that he sexually abused four minor girls while he was a volunteer with the United States Peace Corps.
Osmun resigned from the Peace Corps after being confronted by the UAC program director about the allegations and admitting to having a sexual attraction to children and engaging in sex acts with some minors.
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