‘Depraved’ Lynn man who admitted sexually exploiting children he taught goes to prison: federal authorities

Michael Sebastian was sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years of probation on Wednesday, July 10, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts announced. He pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in illegal sexual conduct abroad in December.

He was arrested in July 2020.

“Mr. Sebastian exploited young, vulnerable children in his care, forcing them to engage in sexual acts to gratify himself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Instead of providing them with a safe home to learn, as he promised, these children were manipulated by the defendant to participate in disturbing behavior. The depraved behavior toward children is appalling, and as this case demonstrates, our office and our partners in federal law enforcement are committed to aggressively prosecuting individuals who sexually abuse children.”

Sebastian taught English to poor children in Laos and allowed them to live in his apartment. Any of the students who could not afford part of the rent had to perform “household chores,” including giving him massages while naked or sexually satisfying him, prosecutors said.

Sebastian was accused of sexually abusing three children who lived with him from May 2018 to March 2020.

Sebastian moved to Luang Prabang, Laos in 2008 and started the SMILE (Supporting Multitudes In Life and Education) program, which provided free education, nutritional assistance and healthcare to impoverished children. Laotian Times reported.

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