An American wanted in Connecticut for child molestation and pornography was arrested in Davao City while applying to extend his tourist visa.
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said today (Friday, June 7) that 33-year-old Jason Eric Keller was arrested after he turned up at the BI’s district office yesterday.
“He seemed unaware that we already have information about his crimes, and that he is already on our watchlist of wanted foreign fugitives,” he said in a statement.
“He will be deported immediately as his presence here poses a serious threat to our children. Afterwards, he will be blacklisted and banned from re-entering the Philippines.”
Mr Morente said that Keller was issued an arrest warrant by a US district court in Connecticut in December 2018 after he was charged with enticing a child to engage in sexual activity and also for receiving child pornographic materials.
He also said that in April, the US government had sought the BI’s help in locating and arresting him. This led to his inclusion in the bureau’s watchlist and the filing of deportation charges against him for being an undocumented and undesirable alien.
According to BI Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr, the American, who used the alias ‘Eddie Buttered Toast’ arrived in the country in February 2017.
“He is already an undocumented alien at the time of his arrest due to the cancellation of his passport by the State Department,” he explained.
Keller is now being temporarily detained at the holding facility of the BI in Davao pending his deportation.
He is only the latest American wanted for sex crimes in his home country to be arrested by the BI this year.
Among them was Gary James Dokulil, aged 40, who is now back in the States to face prosecution for child pornography. He was arrested in Angeles City and held at the BI’s Bicutan Detention Centre before being deported via Guam late last month.
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