Ohio missionary pleads guilty to sexually abusing minors during Haiti mission trips

A Millersburg, Ohio, man has pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti, according to the Justice Department.

Jeriah Mast, 45, admitted to the charges in connection with the sexual abuse of minors during trips to Haiti. According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including on trips with Christian Aid Ministries, and sexually abused minors there. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast took more than 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15, 2026.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said Mast “preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary.” Duva said the guilty plea reflects the severity of Mast’s crimes and the department’s commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. He called Mast’s conduct “a profound betrayal of trust” and described the plea as an important step toward justice for the victims.

U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio said Mast “violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work.” Toepfer called the behavior reprehensible and thanked investigators from Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the case.

Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of HSI Detroit said the guilty plea underscores the agency’s mission to identify and investigate people who exploit children, including those in positions of authority, regardless of where their crimes are committed. Murphey said HSI Cleveland would continue working with law enforcement partners to hold child predators accountable in the United States and seek justice for victims globally.

HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the initiative coordinates federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute people who exploit children via the internet and to identify and rescue victims.