by Sharelle Burt
February 25, 2025
Six Haitian males testified towards Michael Karl Geilenfeld.
Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, of Colorado was convicted of sexually abusing younger Haitian boys within the orphanage he opened within the Eighties, CBS Information reviews.
Earlier this month, a federal jury in Miami listened to the testimonies of six Haitian males who lived on the St. Joseph’s House For Boys between 2005 and 2010 and mentioned they had been sexually abused by Geilenfeld.
Geilenfeld was convicted of 1 rely of touring in overseas commerce for the aim of participating in illicit sexual conduct and 6 counts of participating in illicit sexual conduct in a overseas place.
Geilenfeld faces as much as 30 years in jail for every cost. He can be sentenced on Might 5.
In 2013, Paul Kendrick pushed accusations of sexual abuse towards Geilenfeld after he and North Carolina nonprofit Hearts of Haiti, which reportedly raised cash for his orphanage, filed a defamation lawsuit towards Kendrick.
The 2 related in 2003 after Kendrick grew to become an activist following a go to to Haiti and met a director of a faculty for homeless youths, Douglas Perlit, who was convicted in 2010 of sexually abusing youth in that college.
Geilenfeld did not obtain any cash from the preliminary go well with towards Kendrick and the defamation claims had been dismissed.
“Geilenfeld actually introduced it on himself by submitting the civil go well with,” Kendrick mentioned. “The federal government grew to become extra . I feel the prosecutors had been in a position to assemble a reputable case that put this man in jail.”
Federal prosecutors opened the testimonies with a younger man who spoke about his expertise dwelling at St. Joseph’s when he was 12.
In keeping with the Miami Herald, the younger man testified that Geilenfeld introduced him into his bed room to assist him be taught a prayer. As soon as inside, Geilenfeld sat the boy in a chair and kissed him on the mouth, fondled his genitals, and tried to carry out anal intercourse.
“His pants had been down, and his penis was rubbing towards my behind,” testified the 28-year-old man, who pushed away from Geilenfeld and “ran exterior.” He mentioned Geilenfeld later informed him “to not inform anyone else about this.”
Geilenfeld operated a number of orphanages in Haiti till 2014 and opened one other within the Dominican Republic. Kendrick claimed Geilenfeld assured room and board for the Haitian boys in alternate for abuse.
“He ran a kingdom down there. It was simply horrible,” Kendrick mentioned. “Does this (conviction) make all of the abuse go away for the victims? After all not. But it surely does give these guys a way of dignity.”
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