US man convicted of sexually abusing Haitian children

AP - A Michigan man was convicted yesterday of sexually abusing children of a group home he ran for poor children in Haiti.

After 90 minutes of deliberation, jurors convicted Matthew Andrew Carter, on five counts of traveling from Florida for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with minors, along with one count of attempting child sex tourism.

Carter, who also went by the names "William Charles Harcourt" and "Bill Carter," ran the Morning Star Center in Haiti, first in Croix-des-Bouquets and then in the capital of Port-au-Prince, from 1995 until 2011.

His attorneys have described him as a military veteran, who became a missionary and wanted to lift a generation of Haitian children out of poverty through education and Bible study.

Carter, 67, had no reaction as the verdict was read, but denied the allegations when he testified on Tuesday.

Both prosecutors and Carter's attorneys declined comment after the trial.

Former Morning Star residents testified in Miami federal court during the three-week trial that Carter forced them to perform sexual acts on him when they were children.

In closing arguments, defense attorney Stuart Adelstein said there were no photographs, videos, DNA or other physical evidence that supported the witnesses' testimonies.

Prosecutor Bonnie Kane said Carter targeted impoverished and vulnerable children and returned to Haiti year after year to force the children to satisfy his sexual demands.

U.S. authorities arrested Carter on May 8, 2011, at Miami International Airport, just before he could board a flight to Haiti.

Judge Joan Lenard scheduled Carter's sentencing hearing for May 20.

Carter faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for each of the remaining charges.

FOR MORE STORIES WATCH:


Like our new Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/gleanerjamaica

Follow us on Twitter
http://twitter.com/JamaicaGleaner

editorial@gleanerjm.com