American Arrested in Phuket for Alleged Sexual Abuse of 9-Year-Old Girl

By
Goongnang Suksawat
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Phuket –

A wanted 30-year-old American man was arrested after he allegedly sexually abused a nine-year-old girl before escaping to Phuket.

The Immigration Office told the Phuket Express on Tuesday (July 18th) that on Sunday (July 16th) they arrested a man they identified only as Mr. Mayes, 30, an American national, in Rawai, Mueang Phuket.

The arrest came after the Royal Thai Immigration Bureau were notified of the wanted suspect from the International Criminal Investigation Unit of the United States Embassy in Thailand. Mayes allegedly sexually abused a nine-year-old girl in a different country many times before he escaped to Thailand. Officers found that he moved to Phuket and stayed at a house in Rawai.

Mayes entered Thailand on July 29th, 2022 with a 30 day tourist visa. He was not overstaying at the time he was arrested as he had a NON-ED visa.

However, his visa has now been revoked.

Some reports alleged the girl was his daughter, although this wasn’t confirmed by Thai authorities. The suspect will be detained and extradited into the hands of US authorities to face his legal charges.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for more than four years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.