The Case of the Not So Accidental Tourists
Protecting Children from a World of Harm
The Case of the Not So Accidental Tourists
04/29/05
These particular tourists were planning to visit Costa Rica, but not for its beautiful beaches, lush rain forests, dazzling waterfalls, or rich culture. They had crime on their minds.
Specifically, they were going to prey on young children. Costa Rica had fallen victim to the “sex tourist” trade—particularly by Americans taking advantage of nonstop air service from Miami to the capital of San Jose.
Costa Rican officials contacted us in 2002. We immediately offered to help train Costa Rican law enforcement to deal with the problem, but we also wanted to stop the crimes from our end.
So we launched Operation Turnaround, run by our Miami office with help from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica. It was the first undercover operation of its kind, designed to stop sex tourists before they could leave the U.S.
To identify these criminals, we created a bogus travel agency—Costa Rica Taboo Vacations—that offered to arrange trips complete with local “tourist companions” aged 14 to 27. We advertised our services in magazines and on the Internet and were swamped with requests for information.
From December 2003 to August 2004, we arrested 11 individuals as part of the sting. All 11 have since either pled guilty or were convicted at trial. They included a Florida cop, a New Jersey middle school teacher, and a South Carolina real estate agent and his wife.
All were ready to prey on Costa Rican children. They’d paid us to set it up; they’d packed their bags; some even packed little gifts for the children they were planning to abuse. Fortunately, it’s illegal for U.S. citizens to travel internationally with the intent to have sex with minors. Our agents arrested them before they left the country.
“The idea behind Operation Turnaround was to literally turn these individuals around—so they couldn’t reach Costa Rica to carry out their crimes,” said Special Agent Terri Patterson, who ran the operation.
Patterson hopes other Americans who think they can get away with abusing children around the world will take notice. “In a case like this involving kids, getting the word out there to deter others is important,” she said. “It sends a message that these crimes simply won’t be tolerated.”