San Jose man convicted of sex tourism and obstruction charges

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict late Thursday against a Bay Area man who traveled to the Philippines to have a sex with a 13-year-old girl, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in the Bay Area and the Philippines.

Michael Lindsay, 56, of San Jose, was convicted of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places; attempted witness tampering; and obstruction of justice. Following a four-day trial, the jury found that Lindsay traveled from San Francisco to Manila intending to have sex with a minor and had sex with a minor while there. The jury also found that Lindsay attempted to tamper with a witness and obstructed justice.

Evidence presented during the trial established that Lindsay owned a condominium in the Manila area and frequently traveled there. During trips in May and August of 2012, Lindsay had sex with a 13-year-old girl. The evidence further showed that the defendant used instant messaging to communicate with the girl’s mother and arrange meetings for sex. After those meetings, Lindsay paid the girl’s mother. In addition, subsequent email communications by Lindsay established that after a federal grand jury charged him, he engaged in attempted witness tampering and obstruction of justice.

The investigation began after HSI special agents in the Philippines received a report that the defendant had sex with a minor while visiting that country and paid the girl’s mother. HSI arrested the defendant Nov. 8, 2012, at San Francisco International Airport when he attempted to return to the Philippines for another visit.

Lindsay, who is currently in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 3 by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer in San Francisco. He faces a maximum possible penalty of 90 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Vartain and Katherine Wawryzniak, aided by Helen Yee, Theresa Benitez, and Patricia Mahoney.

This case is a product of 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 12,000 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 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

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. 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.