March 9, 2007

Las Vegas man pleads guilty to sex tourism
Operated an Internet sex-related tours business in Thailand that victimized children

CLEVELAND - A Las Vegas resident who operated a sex tourism business on the Internet from Thailand pleaded guilty here today following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Russell A. Herman, 52, pleaded guilty to "sex tourism" before U.S. District Court Judge Solomon Oliver.

The ICE investigation on Herman began in June 2006 after a Web site was discovered stating that he facilitated tours with introductions to young Thai women ranging between 18 and 24 years old. One advertisement stated that the tour is "suited to the individual's taste."

ICE agents in Cleveland and Bangkok conducted more than 50 undercover e-mail conversations with Herman over five months regarding the sale of sex-related tours. Herman stated that as a part of his fee, he would bring the "customer' to several brothels in Thailand that contained underage girls.

Herman facilitated such a tour in November 2006 and led an undercover agent to four brothels containing underage girls between the ages of 12 and 17. All of the girls were involved in prostitution, and many had been illegally smuggled into Thailand and were padlocked inside the brothels.

ICE filed for a criminal complaint on Dec. 11, 2006, requesting Herman's arrest in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, for facilitating sex tourism. ICE agents in Las Vegas arrested Herman Dec. 15 by tracking his arrival on an international flight originating in Thailand.

"Americans who travel abroad to sexually prey on children in other countries will soon realize that they are not beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Detroit. "ICE is committed to protecting those innocent victims who cannot protect themselves." Moskowitz' area of operations includes the states of Michigan and Ohio.

Sex tourism is a relatively new provision of law enacted as part of the PROTECT Act, which President Bush signed into law on April 30, 2003. The PROTECT Act removed legal barriers that had limited prosecuting those who travel to foreign countries specifically to engage in sexually abusing and exploiting children. The law also strengthened the criminal penalties for child sex tourism and gave federal law enforcement new authorities to investigate these crimes.

This case is part of Operation Predator, ICE's comprehensive initiative to safeguard children from foreign national pedophiles, international sex tourists, Internet child pornographers, and human traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 9,500 individuals nationwide, including 107 in Ohio.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com/

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/

Herman remains in federal custody pending sentencing. Laws against sex tourism were strengthened following passage of the Protect Act of 2003.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Kern and Michael A. Sullivan, Northern District of Ohio prosecuted this case.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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