U.S. Charges Three Men With Molesting Children in Cambodia

LATimes ^ | August 31, 2009

[Steelfish]

U.S. charges three men with molesting children in Cambodia

They are the first to be charged under an international law-enforcement operation that targets U.S. citizens who travel to Cambodia for illicit sex. They could face 30 years in jail for each victim.

Raja Abdulrahim September 1, 2009

Three American men who are suspected of traveling to Cambodia to molest children have been charged in federal court as part of a new initiative aimed at cracking down on the child sex tourism business there, authorities said Monday.

Ronald Gerard Boyajian, 49, of Menlo Park, Calif.; Erik Leonardus Peeters, 41, of Norwalk; and Jack Louis Sporich, 75, formerly of Santa Monica and currently living in Sedona, Ariz., were arrested by Cambodian police in February, authorities said. They were recently expelled from the country and arrived Monday at LAX in the custody of U.S. immigration officials.

The three men, all previously convicted of sex offenses in the U.S., were charged here in absentia earlier this year with traveling overseas for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors, a charge that could bring up to 30 years per victim, authorities said.

They are the first to be charged under an international law-enforcement operation dubbed "Twisted Traveler," specifically targeting American sex offenders who travel to Cambodia, a country that one U.S. immigration official said was "the world's ground zero for child sex tourists."

"These types of cases are disturbing not only because young, defenseless children were victimized in unspeakable ways," U.S. Atty. Thomas O'Brien said at a news conference Monday. "But also because the defendants went to such lengths to engage in their dark activities overseas."

(snip)

Boyajian is suspected of traveling to Cambodia a year ago and molesting a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl...

[Rembrandt]

Has Bawney Fwank taken any trips to Cambodia recently?

[GeronL]

I think Frank, Dodd, Kennedy and Bill Clinton took that trip together with the Mayor of San Francisco

[matthew fuller]

Slow death.

[SecondAmendment]

The penalty for this crime should be death.

Notice that all of the purps are repeat offenders.

[SoConPubbie]

Bring them home and Hang Them!

[SledgeCS]

Tight cage, razer wire and hourly dousing with Salt water

[TheCipher]

Put them in a barn with a small knothole in the wall ( the purpose of this will become evident ). Set the barn on fire and give them a knife.

[Centurion2000]

As disgusting as this crime is, do you REALLY want to advocate the federal government being able to enforce it's law upon your bodies when you are outside the United States?

Extradite to Cambodia and prosecute these pricks under cambodian law? HELL YES. They were there when they commited a crime.

Allow the USA to enforce it's law on citizens anywhere in the world? NO. I am not a slave of the United States.

DO NOT let your emotions trump the rule of law and your own sovereignty.

[laweeks]

“Has Bawney Fwank taken any trips to Cambodia recently?”

You mean, “Has Bawney Fwank taken any twips to Cambodia weecentwee?” Pweeze, get it white!

Elmer Fudd

[LuxMaker]

There are too many judges in Amerika that will coddle them. This leads one to wonder why this may be so.

[LuxMaker]

Under the “rule of law” America has made a law that makes this a crime. They are prosecuting under this law. Cambodia could choose not to extradite but they do anyway so no sovereignty is being violated. So your point seems completely moot.

[Centurion2000]

Under the “rule of law” America has made a law that makes this a crime.

So American law applies on you as a citizen no matter where you are in the world? F#$% that. Not condoning what they did at all (and condemning it) but US law shouldn't be used because we do not belong to the USA.

[LuxMaker]

We don’t stop being an American once we leave the country. We are still accountable for our behavior. Try making any kind of death threats to the political system of America while you are outside of America and see how long your argument lasts. I will tell you, it will not last. So do not do it. This is simply a rhetorical, illustrative argument.

[ansel12]

I don’t know current law but mercenary work used to be illegal for Americans in the 70s and 80s.

[matthew fuller]

"Ronald Gerard Boyajian, 49, of Menlo Park, Calif.; Erik Leonardus Peeters, 41, of Norwalk; and Jack Louis Sporich, 75, formerly of Santa Monica and currently living in Sedona, Ariz., were arrested by Cambodian police in February, authorities said."

This statement sort of indicates that these animals are CURRENT residents of the US. While in theory I understand exactly what you are saying, according to a report I heard earlier, on Fox News, the Cambodian Govt really doesn't have either the legal means, or the money to prosecute these people. And, I believe that there have been "agreements" made with Cambodia specifically for this purpose.

But, I would have NO problems with Cambodia prosecuting if they were able.

[TheCipher]

I agree with you. I didn't say who should put them in the barn

[Centurion2000]

Try making any kind of death threats to the political system of America

Moot point. Your 'victim' in this case would be the United States.

To further illustrate the point. It's illegal to use hard drugs in the USA but it's legal in Amsterdam. Under your supposition should Americans partaking of legal substances outside the USA be prosecuted under American laws?

Americans are not slaves to the government. While these crimes are despicable it is for the Cambodians to enforce not us.

[LuxMaker]

But it is also illegal in Cambodia to do what these guys are doing. Cambodia does not have the will to enforce these laws so they set these guys over for extradition. Now if what these guys did was legal in Cambodia it would be another story. There would be no extradition proceedings. Federal agents would probably be waiting for them when they returned.

[truthguy]

As disgusting as this crime is, do you REALLY want to advocate the federal government being able to enforce it's law upon your bodies when you are outside the United States?

I was going to say the same thing. These guys are scum but how can our government prosecute crimes in other countries. This could really open up a can or worms. I don't think I like this at all.

[Neidermeyer]

Under the “rule of law” America has made a law that makes this a crime. They are prosecuting under this law. ******************************************************** If I go to Germany and run 120 on the autobahn will you take away my license when I get back to Florida? Cambodia and Vietnam (and to a lesser extent Thailand) openly welcome these sex tourists in search of preteens ,, they make tremendous money from it ... and so do the european airlines that fly the men there , often on charters arranged by their versions of Nambla ,, Nikki Lauda ,, the F1 ace who started Lauda Air is a prime benificiary.. If those countries don't see a problem with it (and only occasionally have a show trial ,, like Gary Glitter) that is their decision to make.

[listenhillary]

Maybe we can now track Muslims and prosecute them for atrocities perpetrated in their homeland.

[PapaBear3625]

Allow the USA to enforce it's law on citizens anywhere in the world? NO. I am not a slave of the United States. DO NOT let your emotions trump the rule of law and your own sovereignty.

You have a point. It sets a bad precedent for a government to criminalize behavior of citizens while they are in another sovereign jurisdiction, and once this precedent is established, it can be used in other areas.

The perps should have been extradited to Cambodia, and let them handle it.

[LuxMaker]

Except by our own U.S. laws it is not against the law to “run 120 on the autobahn” but it is against the law to have sex with minors.

[Neidermeyer]

You’re not making sense ,, it IS against the law to run 120 on my local interstate here ,, it IS illegal to buy a young child here ... it is however perfectly acceptable in those foreign countries. If they want to create and/or enforce laws they have governing activities within their borders that’s A-OK with me ... I cannot accept the US punishing people for what they do outside of the jurisdiction of the US... our laws end at our borders.

[LuxMaker]

My take is that it is against the law to traffic in children in Cambodia.

And I quote:

"In the past 16 months, Cambodian police have arrested 16 foreign pedophiles, a record number; in 2002, only eight were arrested. The detained men include five from the United States and 11 from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Germany and New Zealand. Three of the Americans -- including Clark -- have been deported to stand trial in the United States. Under Cambodian law, they can receive as much as 10 years in prison."

So no, it is not "perfectly acceptable in those foreign countries."

[Neidermeyer]

Maybe you missed my post with the Lauda Air jet ,, Europeans by the THOUSANDS arrive weekly for this reason .. The men are arrested only when the local sheriff doesn’t get his cut. The sale of children is openly advertised at every hotel front desk.. so YES it is perfectly acceptable despite their “show” laws..

Did you notice that they only listed foreigners arrested? And since they give “8” in 2002 and “16” is the record that makes for under 100 in 8 years.. hardly strenuous enforcement! Locals are given a pass (and they pay less) ... don’t believe everything you see in the papers,, you can still get a pass on murder in Thailand for about 10,000 baht in the right hands.

And nothing you said hits on the main point of sovereignity ,, our laws end at our borders ,, Cambodia wants the DOLLARS , PESOS , EUROS and DUETSCHMARKS.. enforcement of these laws only occurs when the UN or the US threatens sanctions of some sort. If you wish to reply please address the sovereignity issue as that is the only part of this that I truly care about... I don’t want to buy Tylenol3 in Canada at the local drugstore and be arrested here because it requires a prescription in the US.

[LuxMaker]

If our laws truly ended at our borders then there would be no such thing as extradition. Extradition has in fact been practiced with regularity.
I did address the sovereignty issue. If the country of Cambodia had a problem with it they would not have to extradite. Instead they chose to. So no sovereignty was violated.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I am confused as hell. As evil as these perverts are, I fail to see how the USA and it’s government agencies have ANY jurisdiction whatsoever in Cambodia. Cambodia has every right and obligation to throw the book at these guys if they are violating Cambodian laws. But the USA has NO jurisdiction here.

What am I missing?

Is this just another case of the ends justifying the means? Is there an actual Constitutional authority of the FBI to enforce the laws of foreign nations on foreign soil? I’m stumped by this. As much as I hate the perverts taking advantage of this, and knowing they will each get a nice long talk with God when all is said and done, how can this possibly be Constitutional.

I don’t get it and oppose any unconstitutional legal action just because the end is noble. Bullcrap.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Under the “rule of law” America has made a law that makes this a crime. They are prosecuting under this law. Cambodia could choose not to extradite but they do anyway so no sovereignty is being violated. So your point seems completely moot.

What law? What rule of law? What in the hell gives the US Congress the RIGHT to legislate actions outside the country? Nothing. You are completely making this up. The US has no more jurisdiction over sex crimes committed in other countries than California has over prostitution committed in other states? Prostitution is illegal in California but legal in Nevada. Paid sex received by a Californian in Nevada cannot be legally prosecuted in California, because the act was not committed in California. Is that so hard to understand? Well, neither can the USA prosecute a sex crime not committed on US soil, including military bases world-wide. The USA has NO jurisdiction -- NONE -- to prosecute these men, and I hope any prosecution is appealed and convictions overturned. This is illegal prosecution, pure and simple.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Do you have any clue that children can drink alcohol legally in international waters? They still are Americans out of the country, but they are bound by a DIFFERENT LEGAL SYSTEM.

You need to learn the meaning of the term “sovereignty”.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I believe you are using extradition all wrong! Extradition is to RETURN criminals who committed crimes IN AMERICA back TO AMERICA to face prosecutions for the crimes they committed in AMERICA. Not to move people who commit crimes in one nation to another nation for prosecution.

What am I missing here?????????????????

[Neidermeyer]

Extradition means sending you back here for crimes you committed here .. not sending you here for crimes committed elsewhere outside the US’s jurisdiction.

[LuxMaker]

"I believe you are using extradition all wrong! Extradition is to RETURN criminals who committed crimes IN AMERICA back TO AMERICA to face prosecutions for the crimes they committed in AMERICA. Not to move people who commit crimes in one nation to another nation for prosecution."

Wrong:
ex·tra·di·tion (kstr-dshn)
Legal surrender of a fugitive to the jurisdiction of another state, country, or government for trial.

[LuxMaker]

The supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power by which any independent state is governed; supreme political authority; the supreme will; paramount control of the constitution and frame of government and its administration; the self-sufficient source of political power, from which all specific political powers are derived; the international independence of a state, combined with the right and power of regulating its internal affairs without foreign dictation; also a political society, or state, which is sovereign and independent.

The power to do everything in a state without accountability, --to make laws, to execute and to apply them, to impose and collect taxes and levy contributions, to make war or peace, to form treaties of alliance or of commerce with foreign nations, and the like.

Sovereignty in government is that public authority which directs or orders what is to be done by each member associated in relation to the end of the association. It is the supreme power by which any citizen is governed and is the person or body of persons in the state to whom there is politically no superior. The necessary existence of the state and that right and power which necessarily follow is "sovereignty." By "sovereignty" in its largest sense is meant supreme, absolute, uncontrollable power, the absolute right to govern. The word which by itself comes nearest to being the definition of "sovereignty" is will or volition as applied to political affairs.

Notice how I bolded "the right and power of regulating its internal affairs without foreign dictation". Well Cambodia still has that right. They still have the choice to not extradite. In choosing to extradite and bend to America's will Cambodia is choosing to regulate its internal affairs under foreign dictation. Cambodia's right and power and hence sovereignty is not being subjugated as such that violates it.