44-year-old faces up to 30 years per count for alleged illicit conduct during decades of trips to Haiti
Washington, D.C. – December 24, 2025 A federal grand jury has indicted Jeriah Mast, a 44-year-old former missionary from Ohio, on four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in a foreign country, the U.S. Department of Justice announced earlier this month.
The charges stem from alleged abuse that occurred during Mast’s repeated trips to Haiti between 2002 and 2019, often linked to his work with Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), an Ohio-based organization that supports conservative Anabaptist missionary efforts.
Each of the four counts corresponds to a separate minor victim on distinct occasions: one in 2004, one in 2007, and two in 2011. Flight records confirm Mast traveled to Haiti more than 30 times during that period.
If convicted, Mast faces up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count, plus potential lifetime supervised release.
A Confession That Sparked Accountability
The federal case traces back to Mast’s own 2019 confession to authorities, in which he admitted to sexually abusing approximately 30-31 boys in Haiti — far more than the four specific incidents charged federally.
That confession came amid a broader scandal. In 2019, Mast was convicted in Ohio state court on charges involving minors in the U.S., receiving a 9-year sentence. During his sentencing hearing, the judge delivered a powerful rebuke, highlighting Mast’s admissions regarding the Haiti victims and criticizing community members who may have known about the abuse but remained silent — potentially enabling further harm.
Mast served nearly six years before an early release in October 2025 and is required to register as a sex offender.
Questions of Oversight and Prevention
The indictment has reignited scrutiny of how trusted figures in humanitarian and missionary roles can exploit vulnerable children in crisis-stricken nations like Haiti.
Reports from 2019 revealed that CAM managers were aware of concerns about Mast as early as 2013, yet he remained in positions that allowed continued travel and access to children. Advocacy groups have long called for stronger background checks, mandatory reporting protocols, and independent oversight for overseas missionary work.
This federal prosecution utilizes laws specifically designed to hold U.S. citizens accountable for sexual exploitation of minors abroad, closing a gap that once left many such crimes unpunished.
While the indictment represents a step toward justice for the victims, it also underscores a painful truth: prevention remains critically lacking. Too often, children in impoverished or post-disaster settings become targets for predators operating under the cover of charity or faith.
Haitian advocacy organizations and child-protection groups have welcomed the charges but stress that systemic change — including better vetting, training, and accountability for NGOs and missionary groups — is urgently needed.
As the case moves forward in federal court, the Haitian diaspora and faith communities in the U.S. are watching closely, hoping for both justice and meaningful reform.
L’Union Suite extends heartfelt support to the survivors and their families. Healing and accountability must go hand in hand.
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