Ex-Peace Corps volunteer gets 15 years for abusing young children in South Africa

A former Peace Corps volunteer, who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing several children under the age of 6 while working at an AIDS center in South Africa, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Jesse Osmun, 32, of Glen Street in Milford, was a volunteer at the Umvoti AIDS Center in Greytown, South Africa, where he worked in the preschool after becoming a Peace Corps volunteer in 2010, authorities said.

While volunteering at the preschool, Osmun sexually molested the girls -- who referred to him as "uncle" -- and gave them candy in exchange, according to documents.


“Instead of promoting peace and providing much needed assistance consistent with the mission of the Peace Corps, this volunteer took advantage of his position and sexually abused vulnerable young children at an AIDS center pre-school in South Africa,” U.S. Attorney David Fein said in a statement.

Osmun admitted that he engaged in acts with one of his victims twice per week for about five months.

'No refuge' for sex predators
After serving his sentence, Osmum will be subject to 10 years of supervised release.

The Umvoti center is a non-governmental organization that provides support for those affected by the AIDS virus.

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It also provides education, food and services for children between the ages of 3 and 15.

“As this sentence demonstrates, there will be no refuge for child sexual predators who believe that they can victimize children outside the United States,” Peter Vincent, director of Homeland Security Investigation’s Office of International Affairs, said.

“No place is too distant or too remote to escape the attention of HSI special agents, who conduct these types of investigations worldwide,” he added.

Osmun was arrested at his house on Aug. 4, 2011 and has been detained since.

In June, Osmun waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of traveling from the United States to South Africa to engage in illicit sexual conduct with children and admitted that he sexually abused four minor girls while he was a volunteer with the United States Peace Corps.

Peace Corps set up victims' fund
Osmun resigned from the Peace Corps after being confronted by the Umvoti center's program director about the allegations and admitting to having a sexual attraction to children and engaging in sex acts with some minors.

The Peace Corps has said it was made aware of the allegations after Osmun resigned in May 2011. The agency has condemned Osmun's actions as "reprehensible" and agreed to contribute $20,000 to a fund for the victims.

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Peace Corps volunteers, who are provided with a living allowance and receive transition funds after they complete 27 months of service, provide hands-on assistance in areas including health education, information technology and environmental preservation.

The Peace Corps has sent more than 200,000 Americans to serve in 139 countries.

Osmun apologized in court to the victims, his family and the Peace Corps. He said he struggles with feelings of guilt and shame and acknowledged that his victims will live with the scars of abuse forever.

"I sometimes wish I could take my brain out and wash it of all the memories I have," Osmun said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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These predators are all over the world, working in fields that give them complete access to children and babies. During the Haiti Earthquake there were workers stealing children from the Island, what dirty rotten scoundrels. There was the psycho punk teacher in Thailand who was on his way to being tried and sentenced but instead was extradited back to the U S because he admitted to murdering Jon Benet Ramsey to get out of his sentencing. It's just to easy for these nut jobs.

    Reply#56 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:28 AM EDT

    Some people DESERVE to be executed ... Sandusky and this guy are 2 good ones to start with today

    • 3 votes
    Reply#57 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:31 AM EDT

    The man needs his balls cut off with a pair of nail clippers right before he’s shot. My only question is why Home Land security was involved. It should have been the South Africans along with the Federal Marshals that handled the case. HLS needs to start taking care of our borders. I guess with their failed attempt at stopping illegal immigration they need to divert attention elsewhere.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#58 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:49 AM EDT

    Maybe some of the prisoners will tune him up on a regular basis. What a perverted scum.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#59 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:53 AM EDT

    What's up with these sexual predators? Here we go again, another Sanduskyesque situation. This time, it's the Peace Corp. Surprise, surprise! A volunteer used the organization to gain access to children whom he then abused. Don't these organizationS perform psychological testing on the individuals wanting/wishing to volunteer at their institutions? Don't they have a moral and legal responsibility to make certain they're not putting vulnerable children in harm's way? I wish we could figure who these sick peope are and get them help before it's too late, and failing that put them on an island by themselves with no way of ever getting off. SMFH

      Reply#60 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:56 AM EDT

      As I continue to believe. Humans harm everything they touch.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#61 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:56 AM EDT

      At my age, I thought I had read about and seen so many terrible things that I was "unshockable". I'm shocked. What does a grown man even DO with such tiny children? The terrible thing is, how many cockroaches are there???? You never get them all. He should be required to serve his time in the nation whose citizens he harmed. While I am unconvinced that retribution and punishment act to deter criminal conduct; that portion of the sentence which could be chalked up under "revenge" should be served where the crimes occurred.

        Reply#62 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:07 PM EDT

        15 years huh? inject his balls with ibfection every thirty days

          Reply#63 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:10 PM EDT

          Inject him with the AIDS virus and put him in jail. He'll never last 15 years.

            Reply#64 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:10 PM EDT

            I didn't realize that Africa even had prisons, I thought that once you got out of line, that was the end of you! Well, I say torch the SOB, if anyone says different, well, they might need a nice, thorough, mental evaluation.

              Reply#65 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:13 PM EDT

              "I sometimes wish I could take my brain out and wash it of all the memories I have" Osmun said.

              I say.. why wait??

                Reply#66 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:19 PM EDT

                The problem with all of this conjecture is that you are trying to make judgements from a "normal adult" point of view. When a pedophile takes advantage of a child as a predatory pedophile they are using power to manipulate the child. The damage they do goes way beyond sex in a physical sense. They are destroying the soul of the child to a point that they are forever changed/altered to a point that they will never be the same or have a chance to ever have a "normal" relationship.

                The pedophiles are not looking for love, they are looking for prey like a psychopath has no remorse for their actions. There is no cure because the behavior is a part of their makeup. There are only two solutions and neither involves correcting their behavior. As long as we continue to see this crime as some sort of innocent error on the part of the predator, we will always see the same predators continue to offend, and the future predators feeling that they are accepted into society to a degree.

                We allow the predators to continue their behavior, but force them to go "Underground" so to speak, and this mechanism allows them to hide within organizations like churches, schools, benevolent organizations like the BSA and the Boys and Girls clubs and charity. The laws need to be changed to be more punitive and preventative by castration and death depending on the level of proof of guilt.

                These people should be considered to be murderers of the souls of these children and the punishment should fit the crime.

                Lazarus

                • 3 votes
                Reply#67 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:24 PM EDT

                Oh you wish you could wash your brain of its memories do you? Do the world a favor - wash it with a bullet.

                  Reply#68 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:34 PM EDT

                  Having sex with preschool kids at an AIDS center...sick! Too bad he didn't get AIDS.

                    Reply#69 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:34 PM EDT

                    this is just another liberal at work they should cut off his penis and let him bleed to death. 15 years is bull@!$%# saying you are gay should get you 15 years, a man who wants to screw another man will find many partners in jail.

                      Reply#70 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:35 PM EDT
                      vagisDeleted

                      15 YEARS that's it?this is happening more and more everyday in third world country in need of assistance. He should be ashamed of himself,this is very sad and disturbing.

                        Reply#72 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

                        these asswipes are always sorry (after they get caught )!!!!! hope he gets dry f%$#ed daily !!! an italian necktie sounds appropriate too !

                          Reply#73 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:02 PM EDT

                          Has anyone considered that he actively sought sex partners in a community rife with AIDS sufferers? I think it's safe to say we find his immorality offensive but that part of it is somewhat of a mind twist. This guy could only be helped by being put to sleep (i.e. lethal injection).

                          The Peace Corps has a lot of problems. Does anyone recall the reports by women who've joined, gone overseas and were raped by locals or associates? It doesn't happen a lot but it does happen enough to make me nervous for anyone who says they're joining this outfit.

                            Reply#74 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:06 PM EDT

                            Lazarus,

                            while I don't agree that they've killed a soul I do agree that acceptance allows them to flourish underground. It is an incurable sickness that can only be dealt with using the punishment you suggested. I think the bigger problem in getting legal thinkers to understand the issue is sympathizing with the victim. It's like rape victims. If men who don't understand the severity of rape could be sodomized to get a taste of the severity they might consider the victims. The same goes for understand the young victims here. How can sentencing be fair to them when they really don't have much of a voice or a legal system that understands what they've suffered?

                              Reply#75 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:13 PM EDT

                              Perhaps sentencing and punishment should be determined by adults who were molested as children rather than arbitrary legal theory guidelines.

                                Reply#76 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:14 PM EDT

                                OFF with his balls and adjacent body parts

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#77 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:17 PM EDT

                                There is another story even more terrifying behind this one to quote

                                "As this sentence demonstrates, there will be no refuge for child sexual predators who believe that they can victimize children outside the United States,” Peter Vincent, director of Homeland Security Investigation’s Office of International Affairs, said.

                                “No place is too distant or too remote to escape the attention of HSI special agents, who conduct these types of investigations worldwide,” he added."

                                What the He** is DHS doing in other countries? do foreign governments know? what hand do they have in foreign surveillance? are they in America?, why wasn't this case kept in South Africa? why wasn't he tried and convicted in South Africa where the crimes were committed? did the witnesses travel from South Africa? who paid for that? is there no extradition between South Africa and the US? I think this desrves a letter to my congressman with some honest answers.

                                  Reply#78 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:22 PM EDT

                                  He's gonna have all the sex he can handle soon. Of course, he'll be on the receiving end....I mean.....his end will do the receiving. Paybacks are a bitch.

                                  We need way more prisons in the country.

                                    Reply#79 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:37 PM EDT

                                    no, we dont need more prisons...we need harsher laws like forced castration for his ilk. when he gets out, he will probably STILL have those tendencies. better he not be able to act on those tendencies. can anyone out there tell my why a rapist or child molester should NOT be castrated??????

                                      #79.1 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:10 PM EDT
                                      Reply

                                      Hope he's imprisoned there and it's not the country clubs we have in the USA.

                                        Reply#80 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:44 PM EDT

                                        blow it out your arse, with your religion crap, shoot the bastard

                                          Reply#81 - Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:58 PM EDT

                                          Why don't you blow it out of your a** and shoot the guy yourself? Why? Because you just sit on your fat arse and talk crap. I hate all you self rigtous bastards who say "kill them" and you can't even get out of your house. What a bunch of self serving a**holes. Do it yourself co*ks**ker.

                                            #81.1 - Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:12 PM EDT
                                            Reply
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