Former Nepal Orphanage Director Indicted for Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor Outside the United States

Related Content Press Release A federal grand jury in North Carolina returned an indictment today charging a North Carolina man with engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor outside the United States. According to court documents, Michael Hess, 73, of Davidson, traveled to Nepal between March 2005 and July 2008 and engaged in illicit sexual conduct with a minor victim. Hess founded Papa’s House, supported by the Nepal Orphans Home, in 2005. Hess is charged with one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division made the announcement. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Charlotte Field Office are investigating the case and received assistance from their New Delhi Law Enforcement Attaché Office. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance. Anyone who has information regarding the case against Hess or who may know someone victimized by the defendant is requested to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip portal. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.