French Man Arrested For Allegedly Offering Underage Sex Service In Pattaya

[webfact]

French man arrested for allegedly offering underage sex service in Pattaya

PATTAYA, CHONBURI: -- Police Wednesday arrested a French man for allegedly proving boys under 18 for sex services.

Jean Eric Lopez, 47, was arrested inside Soi Sunee Plaza in Bang Lamung district.

Police were alerted by officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to arrest Lopez. The FBI officials informed the Thai police that Lopez had been allegedly offering underage sex services to foreigners at his bar.

-- The Nation 2010-01-27

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[LivinLOS]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

This guy was offering under 18's for sex, despicable and not defend able on any level gay or not.

[LivinLOS]

Theres also been high profile raids on Phuket to hetro based services.. Soapys..

[makescents]

Stay classy Pattaya!

[londonthai]

if the federal bureau was involved means, that the crime was going for long, was drastic and on a large scale - surely there would be enough evidence for the prosecution. It well might be a show case for the prosecution to stamp out on foreign bars, righly so.

[george]

Update:

French businessman nabbed in Pattaya for child sex abuse

CHONBURI: -- A combined force from Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and local police in this coastal province late Tuesday night arrested a French businessman who runs many entertainment venues in the seaside resort of Pattaya on charge of sexually abusing child and providing child sex for his customers.

French national Jean Eric Lopez, 47, was arrested after the DSI's Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Transnational Crime was informed by representatives of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Thailand and French national police based at the French Embassy in Thailand that Mr Lopez used to run entertainment venues which offered boy sex trade for hire and the accused himself had sexually abused children.

According to the investigation, the DSI officials found that Mr Lopez is a shareholder in several entertainment venues for homosexuals in Pattaya, which provide children aged between 12 and 20 year-old to the customers.

The Pattaya Court issued an arrest warrant of Mr Lopez on Tuesday and he was arrested hours later.

The DSI operation officials also impounded a number of gay sex CDs and condoms. The French national has been charged with taking indecent liberties with children aged under 18-years-old despite having the child's consent.

The accused denied the charges and was later taken to Pattaya for further questioning.

-- TNA 2010-01-27

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[Huey]

Who cares whether it's against gay or straight establishments??? If he's pimpin lil kids he needs to be locked the "F" Up.

[Jingthing]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

Please get some background BEFORE you post. This gay crackdown has been ANNOUNCED.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3291897

Please note in the recent breaking news in the Pattaya Times newspaper and on www.pattaya-times.com (and maybe on your website) that this action detailed in the article "Police Crackdown on Foreign Owned Sex Bars" is scheduled to begin February 16 or before and targets gay bars, beer bars and gogos with bar fines in Pattaya and then possibly in the other cities.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Jingthing

[BOS2BKK]

No we don't have any details, but lets apply a little common sense to this. This is not the Thai police looking for Tea Money. They were asked to arrest the guy by the FBI. So with all the shenanigans that go on in Thailand, Pattaya in particular, this guys shenanigans were the cream that rose to the top of all the other shenanigans. When you see what is overtly tolerated in Thailand by every sector of society, then consider that this guy was singled out by INTERNATIONAL law enforcement as being noteworthy, how much more do you need to know?

[jdinasia]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

This guy was offering under 18's for sex, despicable and not defend able on any level gay or not.

I agree ...

There are differing penalties depending upon the ages involved but under 18 is under 18 ... certainly not something that can be defended on any level

[Jingthing]

Not defending the bar owners who do this. I would love to see it wiped out. I am questioning the scapegoating ONLY of gay establishments. That seems political, and it stinks.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Jingthing

[kevdulounge]

French national Jean Eric Lopez, 47, was arrested after the DSI's Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Transnational Crime was informed by representatives of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Thailand and French national police based at the French Embassy in Thailand that Mr Lopez used to run entertainment venues which offered boy sex trade for hire and the accused himself had sexually abused children.

According to the investigation, the DSI officials found that Mr Lopez is a shareholder in several entertainment venues for homosexuals in Pattaya, which provide children aged between 12 and 20 year-old to the customers.

He was pimpin 12 year old aparently... What kind of charges is he gonna face ? Hope he'll stay in thailand, and won't be extrated to France...

[bangon04]

Not defending the bar owners who do this. I would love to see it wiped out. I am questioning the scapegoating ONLY of gay establishments. That seems political, and it stinks.

It's such a shame that Farang do such despicable things. And so reassuring to know that Thai owners would never be involved in such terrible business.

[midasthailand]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

Please get some background BEFORE you post. This gay crackdown has been ANNOUNCED.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3291897

Please note in the recent breaking news in the Pattaya Times newspaper and on www.pattaya-times.com (and maybe on your website) that this action detailed in the article "Police Crackdown on Foreign Owned Sex Bars" is scheduled to begin February 16 or before and targets gay bars, beer bars and gogos with bar fines in Pattaya and then possibly in the other cities.

My understanding of the passage in bold is that there will be a crackdown on 1. gay bars. 2. beer bars 3. gogo bars that have bar fines in Pattaya and possibly in other cities. So I do not believe that Gay establishments are the only targets involved! Step down from the high horse, take a deep breath and relax.

[eirikur3]

I wonder if all or some of you that are replying ask the person you take with you, home or to your rooms, for a ID card to make sure the girl/boy is over 18 and not 17 years and 11 months and 29 days old ?

[phuketrichard]

Theres also been high profile raids on Phuket to hetro based services.. Soapys..

Not high profile and ONLY Phuket town NOT Patong.

2 places that catered to Kroean/Japanese clients and one massage. 57 girls arrested and released after paying fine.

[MyphuketLife]

Not defending the bar owners who do this. I would love to see it wiped out. I am questioning the scapegoating ONLY of gay establishments. That seems political, and it stinks.

It's such a shame that Farang do such despicable things. And so reassuring to know that Thai owners would never be involved in such terrible business.

It is a shame that he was doing such a thing, I hope they hang him. However I am sure that Thai and Farang pimps alike sell kids. This is not a race issue rather a pure lack of any morals.

[MyphuketLife]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

Please get some background BEFORE you post. This gay crackdown has been ANNOUNCED.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3291897

Please note in the recent breaking news in the Pattaya Times newspaper and on www.pattaya-times.com (and maybe on your website) that this action detailed in the article "Police Crackdown on Foreign Owned Sex Bars" is scheduled to begin February 16 or before and targets gay bars, beer bars and gogos with bar fines in Pattaya and then possibly in the other cities.

My understanding of the passage in bold is that there will be a crackdown on 1. gay bars. 2. beer bars 3. gogo bars that have bar fines in Pattaya and possibly in other cities. So I do not believe that Gay establishments are the only targets involved! Step down from the high horse, take a deep breath and relax.

well said, they are also going after "massage" shops

[jdinasia]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

Please get some background BEFORE you post. This gay crackdown has been ANNOUNCED.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3291897

Please note in the recent breaking news in the Pattaya Times newspaper and on www.pattaya-times.com (and maybe on your website) that this action detailed in the article "Police Crackdown on Foreign Owned Sex Bars" is scheduled to begin February 16 or before and targets gay bars, beer bars and gogos with bar fines in Pattaya and then possibly in the other cities.

My understanding of the passage in bold is that there will be a crackdown on 1. gay bars. 2. beer bars 3. gogo bars that have bar fines in Pattaya and possibly in other cities. So I do not believe that Gay establishments are the only targets involved! Step down from the high horse, take a deep breath and relax.

That is how I read it too ... didn't think it even could be read any other way!

[alex_aka_P]

It's such a shame that Farang do such despicable things. And so reassuring to know that Thai owners would never be involved in such terrible business.

He tried hard - and finally deserved his castration. On public place, Saturday noon, PLEASE!! Where can I book my seat?

More they get catched - less they sneaking around our own children. Bravo, BiBs!!

[siggie2]

Jing

this is not some raid by the police,the FBI have been involved so i dont think its got anything to do with picking on a gay bar or a normal bib raid

[animatic]

Since the FBI was involved he was no doubt tracked via internet

and his pedo friends network of connections amongst themselves.

Glad to see one more of this kind removed from circulation.

I could care less who adults want to sleep with if it doesn't endanger public health,

but guys like this don't make the cut.

[Jingthing]

My understanding of the passage in bold is that there will be a crackdown on 1. gay bars. 2. beer bars 3. gogo bars that have bar fines in Pattaya and possibly in other cities. So I do not believe that Gay establishments are the only targets involved! Step down from the high horse, take a deep breath and relax.

That is how I read it too ... didn't think it even could be read any other way!

I read this as GAY establishments only. I agree it is unclear but it can be read EITHER way; I asked for clarification and none was given.

[tonywebster]

It ISNT against only gay establishments so dont make it divisive.

Please get some background BEFORE you post. This gay crackdown has been ANNOUNCED.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3291897

Please note in the recent breaking news in the Pattaya Times newspaper and on www.pattaya-times.com (and maybe on your website) that this action detailed in the article "Police Crackdown on Foreign Owned Sex Bars" is scheduled to begin February 16 or before and targets gay bars, beer bars and gogos with bar fines in Pattaya and then possibly in the other cities.

My understanding of the passage in bold is that there will be a crackdown on 1. gay bars. 2. beer bars 3. gogo bars that have bar fines in Pattaya and possibly in other cities. So I do not believe that Gay establishments are the only targets involved! Step down from the high horse, take a deep breath and relax.

mine as well, but then I don't have some false persecution complex.

[HKBKK]

No we don't have any details, but lets apply a little common sense to this. This is not the Thai police looking for Tea Money. They were asked to arrest the guy by the FBI. So with all the shenanigans that go on in Thailand, Pattaya in particular, this guys shenanigans were the cream that rose to the top of all the other shenanigans. When you see what is overtly tolerated in Thailand by every sector of society, then consider that this guy was singled out by INTERNATIONAL law enforcement as being noteworthy, how much more do you need to know? The guy should be SHOT!

FBI is not an international law enforcement agency, they have no right to "enforce" the law anywhere outside of the USA...

[Jingthing]

The borderline age cases normally bring up issues. Countries have to draw the line in the sand somewhere. Young people mature at different times. Good arguments can be made that 18 is too high an age for this line to be drawn, but that is where it is drawn in Thailand, so best to respect it totally.

[anon467367354]

I think Orientals for the most part look very young for their ages. It seems that the foreigners come here certainly like to have a PYT (pretty young thing) and the pretty young things put up with these old, fat, dried up pensioned retired sources of a better lifestyle. So young is not the issue, the issue might be, are these pretty young things being employed and is that their job, to solicit these older people that frequent these legal establishments? The other way to do it would be to post a sign that states we cannot be responsible for hiring under aged pretty young things, so solicitations are to be at your own risk. Is Khaosarn Rd still a good place to buy an ID?

[Jingthing]

That's another issue. Borderline sex workers often sport fake or borrowed IDs. Sometimes even bar owners are fooled, they may employ Thai managers who facilitate the deception. This opens up crime opportunities against unknowing foreigners, blackmail, police extortion, etc. Welcome to Pattaya!

[mrdome]

According to the investigation, the DSI officials found that Mr Lopez is a shareholder in several entertainment venues for homosexuals in Pattaya, which provide children aged between 12 and 20 year-old to the customers.

As there have been cases where foreigners were caught in the act with a Thai of legal age and the Thai's age was magically reduced below 18, I take this claim with a truckload of salt. I also remember the case fabricated against Utopia Tours around 2003 or 4, where all sorts of charges were trumped up ("providing sex tours for gay men") that simply were not true. So, overall I am very skeptical.

One thing I believe without a doubt: It's always easy to catch the foreigner, even if you have to help the evidence along a bit. And I do know there are some pretty bad guys living in Asia and Thailand.

Edited January 27, 2010 by mrdome

[Jingthing]

The guys deserves locking up if guilty, underage is underage and if you know the law in relation to this getting someone underage by even one day is still underage in law.

I am not really up on the Thai law but I do know that many countries make distinctions about this. Borderline underage is often treated differently. Small age difference is often treated differently than big age difference. Consensual vs. payed is often treated differently. Also, in some countries the age of consent for gays is higher than gays, of course, pure discrimination.