Royal Thai Police Captures U.S. Pedophile

[Jai Dee]

Royal Thai Police Captures U.S. Pedophile

Steven Erik Prowler was taken into custody by ICE agents after being turned over by authorities in Thailand.

LOS ANGELES, California (ICE) -- A 57-year-old Los Angeles man who formerly worked as an English teacher in Bangkok made his initial appearance in federal court on charges stemming from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that he engaged in illicit sexual conduct with underage boys while living in Thailand.

Steven Erik Prowler was arrested in May 2005 by the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok after the police, acting on a tip, saw two youths leaving the suspect’s apartment. The boys, ages 15 and 16, subsequently told police that Prowler had paid them to engage in oral sex. Thai authorities contacted ICE agents in Bangkok immediately following the arrest. Thai authorities prosecuted Prowler for molesting the youths and he remained jailed on the local charges until being turned over to ICE.

Accompanied by ICE agents, Prowler returned from Bangkok to Los Angeles on May 13 to face allegations detailed in a criminal complaint of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, charges that each carry a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

“The charges against this suspect are a direct result of the extraordinary cooperation we received from Thai law enforcement,” said Kevin Kozak, acting special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations in Los Angeles. “Some pedophiles mistakenly believe they can escape detection and prosecution by committing child sex crimes overseas. We are putting pedophiles on notice that ICE and its law enforcement partners here and abroad stand ready to pursue and prosecute those who sexually exploit children.”

Prowler is the third person to be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California on child sex tourism charges under the provisions of the PROTECT Act, which was signed into law by President Bush three years ago. The PROTECT Act substantially strengthened federal laws against predatory crimes involving children outside the United States by adding new crimes, increasing sentences and modifying the burden of proof requirements for federal prosecutors to bring charges.

Source: New York Jewish Times - 27 June 2006