An Ohio missionary is facing federal charges after being indicted by a grand jury for alleged child exploitation crimes in Haiti. Jeriah Mast, 44, of Millersburg, Ohio, is accused of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors during his travels there between 2002 and 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mast made over 30 trips to Haiti, where he exploited vulnerable children while associated with Christian Aid Ministries.
"As alleged, this defendant traveled abroad to commit heinous, unspeakable crimes against vulnerable children living in an impoverished nation," according to the U.S. Department of Justice, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti remarked. He assured that the law enforcement partners and prosecutors will continue seeking justice relentlessly on behalf of minor victims. The case is currently under investigation by HSI Cleveland, with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office providing substantial assistance.
In another string of allegations pinning those expected to protect against the wall of justice, a Canton police officer finds himself in the heat of a federal lawsuit. Cassandra White, mother to Zachary Fornash who was fatally shot on December 5, 2023, has filed her complaint in the U.S. District Court in Cleveland, holding the officer accountable for her son's death. According local report by The Canton Repository, the incident took place outside Fornash's apartment located on Alan Page Drive SE.
