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St. Pete man sentenced for flying to Vietnam to sexually abuse boys

Prosecutors say he traveled under the guise that he was an English teacher.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg man was sentenced Monday to life in prison for flying to Vietnam to sexually abuse children he met over the internet.

The U.S. Department of Justice said 52-year-old Christopher Day had pleaded guilty in February 2020 to two counts of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct as well as two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual activity.

Prosecutors say he traveled in March 2015 and February 2016 to molest Vietnamese boys.

"According to court documents, Day flew back and forth to Vietnam under the guise that he was an English teacher, and some boys were lured to Day with promises of money and gifts while others were introduced to Day as their English teacher," the DOJ wrote in a news release.

Starting in or around December 2014, the DOJ said Day used electronic devices in order to communicate with two children he hoped to sexually abuse.

Tampa-based Homeland Security Investigations agents worked with authorities in Ho Chi Minh City to build the case against Day.

"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice," the DOJ wrote.

Click here for more information about Project Safe Childhood. Anyone with tips on suspected child sexual exploitation is urged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or click here to submit a tip online.

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