Embassy Honored by DHS/ICE for Assistance in Prosecuting PROTECT Act Cases

Phnom Penh

ICE Attaché Gary Phillips (right) and  Embassy awardees (left to right)  ARSO Andrew Simpson, Ambassador  Mussomeli and RSO investigators  Yarong Van, Sarin Vann, and Vansak  Suos. Full Size

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently honored the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh with an award for its assistance in prosecuting Americans accused of sex crimes in Cambodia. Under the PROTECT Act, which became effective on April 30, 2003, it is illegal for Americans to travel abroad to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors. The very first successful prosecution under the PROTECT Act was of Michael Lewis Clark, who was sentenced in June 2004 to 97 months in jail for engaging in illegal sexual activity with two minors aged 10 and 13 in Cambodia. Since that time, there have been 3 additional successful prosecutions of Americans under the PROTECT Act for child sex crimes in Cambodia, while three other Americans await trial in U.S. prisons.

The award was presented on June 1, 2007 by Bangkok-based ICE Attaché Gary Phillips. Accepting on behalf of the U.S. Embassy were Chargé d'Affaires Piper A. W. Campbell and Vansak Suos, Security Investigator with the Embassy's Regional Security Office. The award stated:

U.S. Embassy
Phnom Penh

In recognition and appreciation of your
support and dedication to the ICE mission in SE Asia.

Your exemplary performance led to multiple
arrests and convictions of Americans, which primarily
focused on crimes against children.

Through your efforts and dedication, children in
Cambodia are safer than they were yesterday.

Department of Homeland Security
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Bangkok, Thailand
June 2007

Embassy Regional Security Officer (RSO) John P. Davis and Assistant RSO Andrew Simpson were also presented with awards. In an additional ceremony on June 5, presided over by U.S. Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli, three locally-engaged staff members of the Embassy's security team were also presented with awards. These individuals were Yarong Van, Sarin Vann, and Vansak Suos.

Created in March 2003, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). ICE investigates a wide range of national security, financial and smuggling violations including drug smuggling, human trafficking, illegal arms exports, financial crimes, commercial fraud, human smuggling, document fraud, money laundering, child pornography/exploitation and immigration fraud.