An American man wanted by authorities in the United States over alleged child sex abuse has been arrested at a meditation retreat at a temple in Chiang Mai.

The man, identified by authorities only as Joshua, was detained on September 10 after Thai immigration officers were asked by the FBI's Legal Attaché office at the US Embassy in Bangkok to locate him and arrange his deportation.

FBI request led to Chiang Mai operation

The Immigration Bureau received the request for cooperation on September 8. Joshua was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by a state court in New Hampshire, where he is expected to face further legal proceedings.

Joshua and another alleged accomplice were accused of sexually assaulting several girls aged under 16 before leaving the United States to avoid arrest.

Thai authorities revoked Joshua's permission to stay in Thailand before beginning efforts to find him, police said.

Immigration officers later learned that he intended to attend a meditation retreat at a temple in Chiang Mai. Undercover officers joined the retreat and monitored his movements, with temple staff cooperating in the operation.

Arrest made during meditation session

On the second day of the officers' participation in the retreat, they confirmed Joshua's identity and arrested him during a meditation session.

Police said Joshua admitted he was the person named in the US arrest warrant.

He was transported to the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre before deportation under standard procedures. US authorities are expected to send officers to escort him back to New Hampshire.

Pictures courtesy of Thaitabloid

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12 September 2026

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It’s great that they responded quickly to the request for assistance and got him. That’s commendable.

I do wonder why they had to mount an undercover operation and infiltrate the meditation session, enlisting the help of the people running it.

Couldn’t they just walk up to him and ask to see his passport? If it’s him, then arrest him.

Anyway, it was mission completed and a bad guy is going back to USA to face justice.

Alls well that ends well.

9 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

It’s great that they responded quickly to the request for assistance and got him. That’s commendable.

I do wonder why they had to mount an undercover operation and infiltrate the meditation session, enlisting the help of the people running it.

Couldn’t they just walk up to him and ask to see his passport? If it’s him, then arrest him.

Anyway, it was mission completed and a bad guy is going back to USA to face justice.

Alls well that ends well.

The R.T.P. and Immigration departments should be congratulated for their good work rounding up these wanted mongrel criminals after requests from overseas authorities. Well done !!

This one is a bit of a twist, typically it's the US authorities going after Americans who have had sex with minors in Thailand whereas this guy committed the acts in the US. Legally it's probably about the same thing as Americans are to be held accountable for their actions anywhere in the world when it comes to statutory sex.

There's so much appeal to women in their early twenties it takes a truly deviant mind to want to go after and abuse women 16 or under. Hopefully he'll get himself a nice 10 year excursion in a state or federal prison in America.

11 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

The R.T.P. and Immigration departments should be congratulated for their good work rounding up these wanted mongrel criminals after requests from overseas authorities. Well done !!

Yep. I did just that in my post. Commendable work.

According to an FBI news release, this guy was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison in 2023. Definitely a pedo with a track record. I won't post his last name or the FBI link - if interested google it. You'll need a VPN though. It's not clear to me how, after being sentenced, he was able to flee the country. On appeal maybe? But I thought in the US - after initial sentencing - you could only appeal from your prison cell? Anyway, like others say, good work to catch him.

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by ronnie50
Correcting a mistake

I hope this Pedo is not MAGA , as he could get pardoned ,which would

be a travesty after all it took to arrest him ,good job from Thai police and

FBI , arrested at a meditation retreat ,do you think he was reflecting on

the crimes he had committed on young girls ...

regards worgeordie

Good job by the cops in grabbing this guy before any kids got harmed in Thailand.