MANILA, Philippines — The U.S. District Court in Tacoma sentenced a former active-duty US soldier to 22 years in prison after he admitted to his involvement in the sexual abuse of children and in the production of child pornography in the Philippines.
Former Staff Sergeant Moeun Yoeun, a 40-year-old from Steilacoom in Washington, was previously stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He admitted to producing explicit material featuring over a dozen children “over the course of several years.” Yoeun also flew to the Philippines and paid “nominal amounts of money” to abuse and exploit at least six kids.
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A press statement from the US Attorney’s Office at the Western District of Washington said Yoeun would go as far as threatening to kill young girls whenever they refused the abuse.
“He cruelly threatened their lives if they tried to flee from his violent sexual assaults. This lengthy sentence is necessary to deter Mr. Yoeun and others who prey on children,” US Attorney Nick Brown was quoted saying.
Yoeun said he worked with adults and children in the Philippines to produce child pornography.
The FBI and the US Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated his case with the help of the Philippine National Police under the South Sound Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant US Attorneys Grady Leupold and Matthew Hampton led the prosecution.
Battle against child pornography
In 2017, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund noted that the Philippines has become the top global source of child pornography and was also the country that hosted the most number of livestream sexual abuse trade featuring Filipino children.
Several groups and international agencies reported a rise in cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) during the pandemic, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs pointing out that the country’s high poverty rates may have contributed to the situation.
Philippine authorities last year made it a mission to go after those who are involved in the “billion-dollar" industry.
READ: Philippines to go after those contributing to online sexual exploitation of children
The US court said former soldier Yoeun will be registered as a sex offender after he serves 22 years behind bars then he will be on federal supervision for the following 15 years.
“Mr. Yoeun weaponized his position of trust as a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army, to sexually exploit and cause irreversible trauma to impoverished girls in the Philippines,” Brown said.