On Friday, a former State Department employee was sentenced to 15-years in prison for sexually abusing minors while working abroad.
According to the Department of Justice, Dean Edward Cheves (63), who worked in the U.S. Embassy in Manila from 2017 to 2021, pleaded guilty in October 2022 to engaging in illicit sexual behavior in a foreign country.
Court documents show that Cheves communicated inappropriately via his cell phone with two teenager girls from the Philippines he met online. He was also aware of the fact that the victims were minors.
According to the DOJ, Cheves also used his government-issued iPhone 11 for multiple videos of sexual acts involving a girl. After it was taken from Cheves’ embassy in the Philippines, the child abuse material was found on the phone.
AN EMPLOYEE OF A STATE DEPARTMENT PLEADS GUILTY TO Sexual Conduit WITH MINORS IN PHILIPPINES
Dean Edward Cheves (63), was sentenced by the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office
According to the Statement of Facts, Cheves had met Minor 2, a 15 year-old girl online in December 2020. According to the document, he had her number saved in his phone along with a note that stated “18-” as well as her birth date.
He bought pictures of the teenager in January 2021 for 3,500 Philippine pesos (approximately $67) that showed her engaging in explicit sexual conduct. He then inquired about her age in the Philippines, to which she replied 18.
According to prosecutors, he asked the child to make and send videos for him in February.
Cheves requested more photos from the same girl in March. She sent photos after he confirmed that he had sent more money. He replied by saying that he couldn’t wait for the victim to grow up.
CONNECTICUT CHILD PORN FUGITIVE DURING 2012 NABBED AT TEXAS BOARD ATTEMPTING A RETURN TO MEXICO
Google Earth image showing the entrance to the U.S Embassy in Manila, Philippines. (Google Earth)
Cheves met a 16 year-old girl online in January 2021. He wrote “18-” and also included her birthdate and high school grade.
Cheves informed Minor 1 that he was a U.S. Ambassador employee and shared the exact title of his job with her. He also said that “this kind” of behavior can lead to international incidents. Cheves later told Minor 1 that 16 years old was older than the others and that he had previously sex in Brazil with a 14 year-old.
Cheves and Minor 1 met in person on February 12, 2021. He made Minor 1 perform a sexual act. Later, a video of the encounter was found on Minor 1’s government-issued iPhone 11.
According to the document, he also sent Minor 1 money and took him to a “short term hotel” in the Philippines. This is a common place for sexual encounters. He took at most three videos that day of Minor 1 having sex on his government cellphone.
Cheves sent the videos to the girl later and stated that the “slo mo” one was fun, adding that they would look great on a pornographic site.
Online predators can save, screen-record or screenshot the public content of children (AP Photo/Jenny Kane. )
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The document concluded that the actions of defendant as described above were in all respects deliberate and knew and were not accidental, mistaken, or otherwise innocent.
Cheves was detained in Virginia after he returned to the U.S. mid-March 2021.
