A former American missionary from Ohio has been indicted on serious federal charges for allegedly engaging in illicit sexual conduct with four children in Haiti over a period spanning nearly two decades.
Details of the Federal Indictment
Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, was formally indicted this week on charges related to his actions during multiple visits to Haiti between 2002 and 2019. According to court documents, the federal charges specifically accuse Mast of abusing four different minors in the years 2004, 2007, and 2011.
One detailed allegation describes Mast meeting a 13-year-old boy through his missionary work and molesting him in a tent. Authorities state that Mast has admitted to abusing approximately 30 victims in Haiti, with many, if not all, being young boys.
A History of Abuse and Early Release
This federal case is the second prosecution against Mast. In 2019, he was sentenced in an Ohio Holmes County court to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two minors in the state. However, Mast was granted an early judicial release in October of this year after serving just under six years.
His release was granted by retired Judge Edward Emmett O’Farrell, who cited Mast's "exemplary record" in prison and his "stated and demonstrated remorse" for the pain inflicted on victims and their families. As a condition, Mast was placed on three years of supervised probation and required to complete a sex-offender programme.
Mast was arrested on these new federal charges on 5 November and is scheduled for arraignment in a Cleveland federal court.
Broader Impact on Religious Communities
The case has cast a harsh light on issues of sexual abuse within certain closed religious communities. Mast worked for part of his time with the Millersburg-based Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), which coordinates missions for Amish and conservative Mennonite groups.
Advocates have long reported that victims in such communities are often pressured to forgive abusers internally rather than seek outside prosecution. In 2019, CAM placed two managers on leave after revelations they knew as early as 2013 about Mast's confessions to sexual activity with young men but kept him in his role.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio condemned the alleged crimes, stating: "Such appalling and morally corrupt behavior will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." He commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
The charges are based on a U.S. law prohibiting citizens from travelling abroad to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Mast is currently represented by a public defender, who did not immediately return requests for comment.
