Peace Corps volunteer confesses to molesting children in Africa

An accused international child sex predator has been arrested following a series of alleged molestations in Africa. US officials claim Jesse Osmun, a Peace Corps volunteer, has confessed to sexually abusing at least five girls for several months as a South African shelter for AIDS orphans and other children. All of the alleged victims were younger than 6. 

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Osmun was caught after the children reported that he had offered them candy in exchange for sexual activity. They reported that he had shown them child pornography on his computer and warned them not to tell what he was doing to them.
Orsum's assaults were brought to a halt when a teacher at the orphanage saw him enter a building followed by three girls.

The teacher reported seeing Osmun with is back to her and one of the children near him. Osmun was startled and zipped up his pants. One of the girls later told the teacher that she had been asked to perform oral sex.
 
Still, Osmun wasn't confronted for another two days, when the orphanage manager discussed the incident with him and asked him to get help. On the same day, Osmin asked the Peace Corps to end his service early, a request that was soon granted. On June 1, Osmun flew back to the United States, two days before the local Peace Corps officials were told of the suspicious behavior.

The Peace Corps immediately sent its own investigators out and interviewed the children who repeated the accusations that Osmun had asked them to perform oral sex.  On August 4, investigators in Connecticut interviewed Osmun where he confessed to his crimes against the children and was taken into custody.

Of concern to the investigators was his previous time at an HIV/AIDS orphanage in Kenya where the children were infected with the disease. However, investigation has not revealed that he engaged in any misconduct there.
 
Osmun will be tried in Connecticut where he could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Experts agree this is better than pursuing his case in South Africa where only 1 in 9 cases go to court and the time served is much less.
 
Peace Corps officials explain that Osmun was screened before being admitted to the Corps and assigned and that steps were being taken to ensure children will not be harmed by volunteers in the future.
 

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