Former Ohio missionary pleads guilty to molesting 2 boys in Haiti

A former missionary with an Ohio-based ministry pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges that he sexually abused two boys in Haiti, reaching an agreement with prosecutors that could lead to a prison sentence of at least 25 years. Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio — who told police in 2019 he had molested more than 30 boys in Haiti and four children in Ohio — entered the plea before Judge Donald C. Nugent in federal court in Cleveland.

Under the plea agreement, Mast and prosecutors agreed that an “appropriate” sentence would be between 25 and 33 years, though the judge would have final say. Mast took trips to Haiti for mission work between 2002 and 2019. That included several years of work for the Millersburg-based Christian Aid Ministries, which coordinates missionary activities supported by Amish, conservative Mennonite and related church groups.

Mast belonged to a church in a related Anabaptist movement. Mast’s case has drawn attention to wider sexual abuse issues in the conservative, plain-dressing Anabaptist communities, which include Old Order Amish and Mennonites. Advocates have said that amid the movement’s strong emphasis on forgiveness, victims have been pressured to reconcile with abusers and not to seek prosecution outside the disciplines of the largely closed religious communities.

Mast was arrested on federal charges last November, shortly after he received early release for a sexual abuse conviction in Ohio state court. Mast was formally indicted in December on four federal charges of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. The indictment alleged he abused four boys in Haiti — one each in 2004 and 2007 and two in 2011.

Mast’s guilty plea was to charges involving the 2004 case and one of the 2011 cases, each involving a minor between 12 and 16 years old. Prosecutors agreed to move for dismissal of the remaining two charges, according to the plea agreement. But Mast admitted to the factual basis of the remaining charges in the plea agreement.

law that prohibits citizens from engaging “in any illicit sexual conduct with another person” overseas, according to court filings. Mast’s attorney filed a motion in May to get the charges dismissed, saying the law exceeded the constitutionality of Congress’ ability to regulate citizens’ conduct overseas.