UNITED STATES POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE
May 20, 2004
U.S.
Postal Inspector, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent
receive national awards for investigation of child-sex tourism ring
Washington, DC--A U.S. Postal Inspector and a Special Agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement each received a national award yesterday for uncovering a child-sex tourism business that preyed on homeless children in Mexico.
The Officer of the Year Award, presented annually by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), recognizes law enforcement agents and officers for their efforts to rescue children from abductors and abusers. This year's award was given to Postal Inspector Stephen Sadowitz, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Senior Special Agent Perry Woo, for their cooperation in an investigation that led to the breakup of the illicit international sex enterprise, and resulted in the rescue of more than 30 children from further sexual abuse and exploitation.
Customers wanting sex with Mexican boys as young as 8 years old paid up to $1,000 per week. Customers mailed payments for the "sex tour" directly to the home of Timothy Joe Julian of Dyer, IN. The actual encounters took place at a location known as Castillo Vista del Mar ("castle with a view of the sea"), in Acapulco.
As the investigation unfolded, other co-conspirators and child molesters were identified from coast to coast. In addition to Julian, who was recently given a 25-year federal prison sentence, seven other U.S. citizens were arrested for conspiring to molest children, and trafficking or possessing child pornography. Among those arrested was Julian's partner, Robert Decker, in Laredo, TX. Decker is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. Others include Ralph Angle of Highland, IN, sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, and Terry Welcher of Augusta, GA, sentenced to 60 years in prison.
The investigation came to the attention of Inspector Sadowitz, based in Indianapolis, and Woo, in Chicago, after Postal Inspectors and Customs Agents searched the Colorado home of Michael Smith, a schoolteacher. Evidence seized during that search led the investigators to Dyer's sex business. The two federal officers spent several years on the investigation, traveling throughout the United States and Mexico to locate and interview child victims and to gather critical evidence.
Assistant Attorney General Deborah Daniels and Congresswoman Julia Carson of Indiana presented the award to the agents. Other awards presented during the morning ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building were as follows:
2004 National Exploited Children's Awards
Detective James E. Smith of the Connecticut State Police in Meriden, CT, and Postal Inspector Martin Vega, Jr. of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Wallingford, CT, were honored by Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut for breaking up a child pornography ring and rescuing numerous child victims.
Special Agent Supervisor Jeff Mackanin of the California Department of Justice in Rancho Cordova, CA, Special Agent Reginald K. Ogata of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Sacramento, CA, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel White in Sacramento, CA, accepted awards presented by Senator Barbara Boxer of California for their joint efforts in taking down an online child pornography business that led to the arrest of several child predators.
2004 National Missing Children's Awards
Congressman Nick Lampson of Texas honored Special Agent Colleen Maher of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General in Long Beach, CA, for her investigation that led to the recovery of Aric Austin, who was abducted when he was six weeks old by his noncustodial father and recently reunited with his mother after more than 20 years.
Officer Elizabeth M. Butler of the Manlius Police Department in Manlius, NY, and Sergeant Richard Woolley of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office in Syracuse, NY, were honored for their recovery of a 16-year-old girl who was abducted and held captive by 68-year-old John Jamelske. Senator Hillary Clinton of New York recognized Officer Butler and Sergeant Woolley for the recovery and the assailant's arrest.
Captain Lyndon Parrish of the Cass County Sheriff's Office in Cassopolis, MI, Special Agent Roy Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in St. Joseph, MI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joan E. Meyer in Grand Rapids, MI, were honored by Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan for the recovery of Lindsey Ryan, a 14-year-old girl who was abducted by 54-year-old Terry Drake.
2004 National Courage Award
NCMEC presented its fifth National Courage Award this year to Elizabeth Smart of Salt Lake City, UT, for having the courage to relay her identity to law enforcement authorities while being held by a 48-year-old abductor. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah joined America's Most Wanted host and NCMEC co-founder John Walsh, and NCMEC board member Revé Walsh, to honor Elizabeth.
This is the sixth consecutive year Postal Inspectors have received the National Exploited Children's Award from NCMEC. No other agency has received the award so many years in a row. Further, Postal Inspectors have been named Officer of the Year four of those six years. Recipients were also recognized later in the day by Attorney General John Ashcroft in the Great Hall of Justice at the Justice Department.