Former Ohio Missionary Admits to Sexually Abusing Boys in Haiti

A former missionary from Ohio has pleaded guilty to federal charges of sexually abusing two boys in Haiti, a case that has cast a spotlight on abuse within closed Anabaptist communities.

Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, entered the plea in a Cleveland federal court on Tuesday. Under the terms of his agreement with prosecutors, both sides have agreed that a sentence of between 25 and 33 years is appropriate, though the presiding judge will have the final say. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15.

Mast, who traveled to Haiti for mission work between 2002 and 2019, was associated with Christian Aid Ministries, a Millersburg-based group supported by Amish, Mennonite, and related congregations. His guilty plea covers charges related to incidents in 2004 and 2011, each involving a minor aged 12 to 16. Prosecutors have agreed to drop two other charges, though Mast has admitted to the factual basis of those allegations.

The case stems from a U.S. law that makes it a crime for American citizens to engage in illicit sexual conduct abroad. Mast's legal team had previously challenged the law's constitutionality, but the court denied that motion in August. He has reserved the right to appeal that ruling.

This is not Mast's first conviction. In 2019, he was sentenced to nine years in an Ohio state prison for gross sexual imposition involving two boys. He was released early in October 2025 after a judge cited his "exemplary record" and remorse. Federal authorities, who had been investigating his actions in Haiti, accelerated their probe upon learning of his release.

In 2019, Mast told police he had molested more than 30 boys in Haiti and four children in Ohio. The case has drawn renewed attention to how sexual abuse is handled within conservative Anabaptist groups, where advocates say a strong emphasis on forgiveness has sometimes pressured victims to reconcile with abusers rather than seek prosecution.