Ex-US diplomat charged in court for child abuse; DOJ studying extradition

Government prosecutors recently charged a former American diplomat before a Pasay City court for engaging in sexual activity with a female minor.

The Pasay Prosecutor’s Office indicted Dean Cheves for violation of the laws against child abuse and child pornography following a complaint filed by the 16-year-old student’s mother. The cases are pending before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 109.

Prosecutors are awaiting the issuance of the arrest warrant for Cheves, who is no longer in the Philippines since he was sent back to the US last March, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Cheves is also facing criminal charges in the US for the same acts.

“Considering that Cheves is currently in the USA, the DOJ is now closely studying the possibility of seeking extradition to bring Cheves to the Philippines and subject him to the jurisdiction of the Philippine court in order to face his charges; and/or availing the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to exchange evidence that may help us in our case against Cheves and may also help in the case against Cheves in the US District Court in Virginia,” the DOJ said.

According to the Pasay prosecutors, Cheves filmed his sexual encounter with the minor without her consent and even sent her copies of it.

“Forensic evidence provided by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Division corroborated the allegations of the child as it clearly shows the respondent (Cheves) engaging in a lewd conversation with the child talking about their sexual encounters and preferences,” the prosecutors said in a resolution dated August 3.

“Respondent even shared videos of their sexual intercourse and money was also sent by the respondent to the child. The acts of the respondent have debased, degraded, and demeaned the intrinsic worth and dignity of the child as a human being.”

Cheves, who worked at the US Embassy from September 2020 to February 2021, was not able to refute the charges during the preliminary investigation despite “due notice,” the DOJ said. — RSJ, GMA News