Brighton man accused of sexually abusing kids in Haiti

Oralandar Brand-Williams/ The Detroit News

Detroit —A Brighton man who operates a residential school for poor children and orphans has been indicted on charges of sex tourism.

Authorities say Matthew Andrew Carter, 66, forced boys at his Morning Star Center school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for money, gifts or continued care at the school.

The self-described missionary, who authorities say also goes by at least three other names, was arrested May 8 and is in custody in Miami on a charge of traveling to Haiti from the United States to engage in sex with minors from the mid-1990s until April.

He was indicted by a grand jury in May and an overriding indictment was filed Thursday that adds three more charges. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

"This defendant preyed on innocent Haitian children living in severely depressed conditions, making his conduct particularly deplorable," said U.S. Attorney Wilfredo Ferrer in a statement Friday. "Rather than using Morning Star as he promised — to administer aid and provide sanctuary to needy children — he used the center to manipulate, abuse and sexually exploit them."

The investigation into Carter's alleged crimes was conducted as part of Operation Predator, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown on human traffickers and international sex tourists.

Court documents indicate 14 boys live full-time at the school and three others live there on the weekends. Some were sent by families; others are orphans.

"For years, he sexually abused poor and orphaned children who depended upon him for food and shelter — all under the guise of doing noble work," said John Morton, director of the immigration and customs agency.

Bertha Wiles, a close friend of Carter's, said she doesn't believe the allegations.

"He's a missionary. He loves the Lord a lot (and) I believe he's being set up," said Wiles, whose Brighton home Carter lives in when he comes to town.

Wiles, 70, says she and her husband, Temple, met Carter 15 years ago through church. She said Carter called her last week from jail to profess his innocence and to ask her to pray for him.

"He said, 'I pray this is going to come out in my favor,'" Wiles said. "He said they are trying to put a scandal on me."

Wiles said she "definitely believes" Carter, who came to visit her and her husband last month and brought four of his young male students to visit in January.

"This man would never do anything like that," Wiles said. "The good Lord is going to work it out according to his perfect will and plan in (Carter's) life."