Missouri child sex offender charged with viewing international online sex shows featuring children in the Philippines

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A southwestern Missouri man and registered sex offender, who was previously convicted of sexually abusing a child, was charged in federal court Wednesday for paying to watch online shows of children being sexually abused in the Philippines.

This criminal charge resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.

Paul L. Sipeer, 65, of Duenweg, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint alleging he received child pornography via the Internet. Sipeer had his initial court appearance Jan. 27 and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing Feb. 2.

Sipeer is a registered sex offender with a 1992 conviction for sexual abuse in the first degree involving a 7-year-old child.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, HSI special agents learned that Sipeer was conducting $10-to-$20 money transfers online several times a month during the summer of 2015 to individuals in the Philippines.  

Money transfers, conducted through Western Union and MoneyGram, are often used to send funds to pay for sexual performances by children in the Philippines. In previous related HSI investigations, small amounts of money, typically between $5 and $100, are often sent to individuals in the Philippines. In return, money recipients have young children perform sexual acts before webcams for the viewers. Often the viewers send additional payments for continued and/or repeat performances.

Upon further investigation, according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, HSI special agents learned that Sipeer had been making money transfers to various individuals in the Philippines since January 2013, in amounts ranging up to $480.

On Jan. 26, 2016, law enforcement officers contacted Sipeer at his residence. According to the affidavit, Sipeer told the officers he sent money to the Philippines to pay for “sex shows.”  Sipeer said he has sent about $1,200 to the Philippines in total.

Sipeer consented to a search of his residence, including his computer. Officers located images of child pornography during a preview of Sipeer’s computer.

The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.