Friday, 20 March 2009

Cambodian court sentences American to 13 years on charges of sexually abusing girl

An American man was sentenced Thursday to 13 years in prison on charges of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl, a Cambodian court official said.

The Seattle Times
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia —
An American man was sentenced Thursday to 13 years in prison on charges of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl, a Cambodian court official said.

Jason Todd Bambauch, 40, from Michigan, also was ordered to pay 20 million riel ($5,000) as compensation to the girl's family, Judge Chan Madina said.

Bambauch, a designer whose hometown was not immediately known, was arrested last September. Police charged he had sexual relations with the girl for over a year, paying her $100 a month for her school fees as well as other money.

Bambauch's lawyer, Chap Keo, said his client never had sex with the girl and that her parents promised that he could marry her when she turned 18. The lawyer said Bambauch would appeal the verdict.

Lax law enforcement and poverty have made Cambodia a prime destination for foreigners seeking sex with minors. But police have recently stepped up efforts to fight the crime, and several foreigners are serving lengthy prison terms.

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