Ohio ex-missionary sentenced to 9 years in prison in child sex abuse cases

[left-of-center2012]

MILLERSBURG, Ohio — Jeriah Mast, of Millersburg, a former missionary for a large Ohio-based international aid ministry was sentenced to nine years in prison Tuesday for sexually abusing two boys in Holmes County, Ohio.

Judge Rinfret said during the sentencing that Mast had confessed to abusing more than 30 boys in Haiti and said that was part of the reason he decided on the nine-year sentence. The defense and prosecution had previously, as part of a plea agreement, recommended that Mast serve no more than five years in prison. Mast gave a statement to the court that said he was sorry for what he had done ... His wife and pastor also spoke on his behalf.

Mast was charged in July with 14 counts alleging he abused five minors between 1999 and 2008. In October, 12 counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement and Mast pleaded guilty to two felony counts of gross sexual imposition in connection with molesting two boys.

The Ohio charges were filed after Mast confessed to the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office in May that he abused boys over a period of about 15 years in both Ohio and Haiti, where he was working for Christian Aid Ministries, a Berlin, Ohio, organization supported by various Mennonite, Amish and related groups.



https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2019/11/05/Ohio-ex-missionary-sentenced-prison-child-sex-abuse-Jeriah-Mast-haiti/stories/201911050079

[Delmette2.0]

1. 9 years is not enough.

For all the children he damaged for life, he should get life away from society.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. I hope that the sponsering organizations are sued...

They had a responsibility to ensure that whomever they chose was competent and not a predator...also, I hope that they pay for counseling services for these young boys. Pathetic. Why is it that most (IMHO) religious organizations seem to have no background check other than how hard they can pray?

The Ohio charges were filed after Mast confessed to the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office in May that he abused boys over a period of about 15 years in both Ohio and Haiti, where he was working for Christian Aid Ministries, a Berlin, Ohio, organization supported by various Mennonite, Amish and related groups.