Jeriah Mast
A former missionary, facing allegations of sexual abuse in Haiti, was released on $250,000 bond Friday morning, more than a week after his indictment on similar charges of abuse in his native Holmes County, Ohio.
Jeriah Mast, 37, was released from the county jail after bail was posted by Sly Bail Bonds of Wadsworth, Ohio. He was indicted July 1 on 14 counts alleging he sexually abused five minors between 1999 and 2008.
Mr. Mast left Haiti — where he was stationed for many years by Christian Aid Ministries of Berlin, Ohio — in early May, soon after accusations of sexual abuse arose against him. Further allegations then surfaced after his return to Millersburg, Ohio.
Christian Aid Ministries draws support from Amish, Mennonite and related Anabaptist groups.
It placed two of its leading staff members on leave in June after its board learned that they knew as far back as 2013 that Mr. Mast had confessed to “sexual activity with young men that had taken place several years prior,” yet allowed him to remain at work for the ministry until this year.
Mr. Mast is scheduled for a Sept. 30 jury trial.
Conditions of release include that his whereabouts be monitored by GPS, that he report to authorities weekly and have no contact with victims. Holmes County Prosecutor Sean Warner said his office is also filing a motion to add the condition of no unsupervised contact with minors.
A Haitian attorney representing several alleged victims has brought the allegations of sexual abuse to a local court in the city of Petit-Goave, which has been seeking an appearance by Mr. Mast and a representative of Christian Aid Ministries.
