Wisconsin man sentenced in Minnesota to more than 4 years in federal prison for traveling overseas to have sex with a child
MINNEAPOLIS — A Wisconsin man was sentenced in federal court in Minneapolis Wednesday to 51 months in federal prison for traveling to a foreign country to have sex with a child.
Steven Richard Smasal, 48, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced on one count of traveling abroad to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Smasal pleaded guilty to the charge July 24.
"This sentence serves as a warning to all those who would consider traveling overseas to sexually exploit children, " said acting Special Agent in Charge William Lowder of HSI St. Paul. "Sex tourism is a crime in the United States. HSI and our law enforcement partners here and around the world will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm children, no matter where they may be."
According to his guilty plea, on Feb. 24, Smasal, who had spent significant time teaching in the Philippines, was scheduled to travel from the Twin Cities to Beijing, China, via Toronto, Canada. The purpose of his trip was to teach English in Beijing and to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minor girls in the Philippines.
Also noted in the plea documents, Smasal communicated with at least two females, one of whom was the mother of a 14-year-old girl. He told the woman that he would like to meet her and her 14-year-old daughter in the Philippines, at one point stating, "…understand that I will want you and ur daughter." He later stated, "Is it ok that I have sex with ur daughter?" Finally, he asked, "Can I just have ur daughter then?"
Smasal was apprehended earlier this year by HSI special agents in San Francisco as he attempted to board an international flight. His prison sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised release and he must register as a sex offender.
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.
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