Ashdown man, 35, charged in sex abuse of girls in Haiti

An Ashdown resident who operated a missionary orphanage in Haiti is accused of traveling to the country on multiple occasions for the purpose of molesting children.

Daniel John Pye, 35, originally of Bradenton, Fla., reportedly traveled from Florida to Jacmel, Haiti, between 2008 and 2011 “for the purpose of allegedly sexually abusing minor female children,” according to a news release.

The U. S. Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that Pye’s arrest came after an investigation led by the Homeland Security Investigation office in Miami with assistance from seven other agency offices, including an investigations office in Texarkana.

According to the affidavit, someone contacted the Homeland Security Investigations tip line April 14, 2015, accusing Pye of abusing a child. That information was forwarded in late May of that year to the agency’s Miami office.

The caller cited information, told to her by an American couple who had traveled as missionaries to Haiti. that three female minors were reportedly sexually abused by Pye.

The couple had previously worked with Pye at the orphanage, Haitian Children’s Home, court records show.

A witness recalled Pye inappropriately touching a 11- or 12- year- old girl while teaching her to float in the water, according to the affidavit.

One of the reported victims, who was 12 at the time of her interview, told law enforcement that Pye molested her starting when she was around 6 or 7. The sexual abuse, she said, continued until she was between 8 and 10.

Another person interviewed, an 18- year- old girl at the time, told a forensic investigator that she was inappropriately touched by Pye while under the age of 12.

Both reported also being forced to perform sexual acts on Pye.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Benjamin Widlanski, the Homeland Security Department said.