Former Connecticut Resident Charged With Sexually Abusing Children in Haiti

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nora R. Dannehy, U.S.
Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and John T. Morton, Assistant
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in
Bridgeport, Conn., has returned an indictment charging a former Fairfield
County, Conn., resident with sexually abusing several boys in Haiti for
approximately a decade. Douglas Perlitz, 39, a resident of Colorado, has been
charged with seven counts of traveling outside of the United States with the
intent to engage in sexual conduct with individuals under the age of 18, and
three counts of engaging in sexual conduct in foreign places with persons
under the age of 18. Perlitz was the founder and director of Project Pierre
Toussaint, a boys school in Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

The indictment was returned on Sept. 15. On the morning of Sept. 16, Perlitz
was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at his
home in Eagle, Colo. Following his arrest, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate
Judge Boyd N. Boland in Denver and has been detained pending a detention
hearing that is scheduled for Sept. 18 in Denver.

"This defendant is alleged to have used his position of power to manipulate
and sexually abuse vulnerable boys for nearly a decade," U.S. Attorney Dannehy
stated. "I want to acknowledge the diligent work of ICE, the agents involved
in the investigation, and members of the State Department assigned to our
Embassy in Haiti. This case would not have been brought without their
coordinated efforts, the resources they have devoted, and their commitment to
seeing that justice is done."

"Sex tourism victims are particularly vulnerable to predators who lure them
with promises of the most basic of human needs then rob them of their
innocence," said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE Morton. "There
will be no refuge for child sexual predators who believe that they may
victimize children outside the United States. No place is too distant or too
remote to escape the attention of U.S. law enforcement."

The indictment alleges that, in approximately 1997, Perlitz obtained funding
from a religious organization to found Project Pierre Toussaint ("PPT").
Initially, PPT began as an intake center referred to as the 13th Street Intake
Program. PPT provided services to children of all ages, most of whom were
street children as young as six years of age. The services provided for the
children included meals, sport activity, basic classroom instruction and
access to running water for baths. The staff of the intake center included
American volunteers who received a small stipend for their work as well as
Haitians who were involved with a variety of day to day operations including
teaching, cooking and driving. PPT continued to expand and, in approximately
1999, a residential facility, Village Pierre Toussaint (referred to as the
"Village"), was added. The Village was staffed primarily by Haitians, but
Perlitz was directly involved with the Village.

The indictment further alleges that, in approximately 2007, the 14th Street
facility was established, which was a residential program for high-school age
children who Perlitz claimed needed extra attention. Perlitz individually
chose all of the children who resided at the 14th Street facility, which was a
home where adults cared for them. At the 14th Street facility, children were
provided with tutors, special cooking arrangements, high-end electronics and
other amenities.

In Haiti, Perlitz resided in the lower floor of a two-story house, referred to
as "Bel Air." American volunteers lived on the second floor of the house.

The indictment further alleges that The Haiti Fund, Inc. was incorporated as a
charitable, religious and educational organization in Connecticut, and
operated as the fund-raising arm of PPT. The Haiti Fund raised large sums of
money through the efforts of a religious leader who asked parishioners for
contributions as well as Board Members who regularly attended dinners,
cocktail parties and other events to raise funds for PPT. Funds that were
raised on behalf of PPT were transferred to an account in Haiti that Perlitz
controlled. Between 2002 and 2008, approximately $2 million was transferred
from the Haiti Fund to Perlitz in Haiti.

The indictment alleges that, over the course of several years, Perlitz had
illicit sexual contact with nine boys who attended school at PPT. In order to
entice and persuade the children to comply with the sex acts, Perlitz provided
the promise of food and shelter and also provided monetary and other benefits,
including cash, cell phones, electronics, shoes, clothes and other items. If
minors refused to engage in sex acts, it is alleged that Perlitz would at
times withhold benefits or threaten to expel them from the program.

The indictment alleges that, when Perlitz was questioned by others as to why
he permitted minors to sleep in his room at Bel Air, Perlitz attempted to
conceal his sexual abuse of the minors by stating that it was common in Haiti
for children and adults to sleep together, or he would state that the
particular minor was having a lot of difficulty.

The indictment alleges that Perlitz took steps to control and manipulate the
Board of Directors of the Haiti Fund to ensure that he maintained autonomy and
control over all of the operations at PPT. Because Perlitz maintained
exclusive control over PPT's operations and funding, he made it difficult for
volunteers, staff members or others to question his actions. Perlitz also
utilized the fear of unemployment and the difficult economic situation in
Haiti to control and prevent the Haitian staff at PPT from coming forward
about the allegations of sexual abuse.

Finally, the indictment alleges that, after allegations of long-term sexual
abuse by Perlitz surfaced in approximately 2007, Perlitz used his relationship
with a religious leader and influential Board Members to continue to attempt
to conceal his illegal sexual conduct by causing others to manipulate,
prevent, and preclude Board Members in the United States from questioning any
issues relating to Perlitz. As part of the concealment, it is alleged that a
letter was sent to donors stating that the accusations against Perlitz were
groundless. Also, it alleged that investigators hired by the Board of
Directors were denied entry into Perlitz's room at Bel Air, and that two
computers and other items from a safe in Perlitz's room were removed and
returned to Perlitz in Connecticut.

U.S. Attorney Dannehy and DHS Assistant Secretary Morton stated that this is
an ongoing investigation and encouraged anyone with information that may be
relevant to the investigation to call ICE in Connecticut at 203-773-2029

The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, also has established a telephone
hotline for individuals in Haiti to call with information relevant to the
investigation.

If convicted, Perlitz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a
fine of up to $250,000, on each count of the indictment.

U.S. Attorney Nora R. Dannehy stressed that an indictment is only a charge and
is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which
it is the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) in New Haven, with the assistance of ICE in Grand Junction, Colo.; ICE
International Affairs in Washington, D.C. and the Caribbean Attache, and the
U.S. Department of State, Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in
Haiti.

U.S. Attorney Dannehy and DHS Assistant Secretary Morton also acknowledged the
critical assistance provided by the Haitian National Police Department, the
Brigade of Protection of Minors and the assistance of individuals who have
come forward and to provide information to law enforcement.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Krishna R. Patel with
the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

Tom Carson of the Office of United States Attorney Nora R. Dannehy, District
of Connecticut, +1-203-821-3722, Cell: +1-203-996-1393