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Former Teacher Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Children in Laos
A Lynn man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors to whom he taught English in Laos, federal authorities announced.
Michael Sebastian, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 12 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2023, Sebastian pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.
Sebastian taught English to impoverished children in Laos. While teaching children there, Sebastian allowed certain students to live with him in his apartment. Students who were unable to pay for their living expenses performed “chores” around the house to earn credit towards their rent payments. One of the “chores” eligible for rent credit was to give Sebastian massages, during which Sebastian would be naked. As part of these massages, Sebastian required some students to touch his genitals and masturbate him in lieu of rent payment.
Sebastian is charged with sexually abusing three minor children who lived with him between May 2018 and March 2020.
“Mr. Sebastian took advantage of young, vulnerable children in his care and forced them to perform sexual acts for his gratification. Instead of providing a safe home for learning as he had promised, these children were manipulated by the defendant to take part in disturbing behaviors,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The depraved conduct directed at children is startling and, as this case demonstrates, our office and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to aggressively prosecuting individuals who sexually abuse children. The message should be heard loudly and clearly: predators in Massachusetts and beyond will be found and brought to justice.”
Sebastian’s sentence is a result of a joint investigation by the FBI’s Legal Attache office in Bangkok, along with assistance provided by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, the Boston FBI’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force and the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, Laos. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorneys Nadia Prinz and Eduardo Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said Sebastian’s actions were a blatant abuse of trust and a stark reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children from predators. The case serves as a warning to would-be offenders that they will be held accountable for their crimes.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Sex Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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