Former U.S. diplomat entered a guilty plea to illicit sexual conduct

On Monday, a former State Department employee who worked in the Philippines pled guilty to participating in criminal sexual activity in a foreign country, including the creation and possession of child pornography and sexual acts with a minor.

According to a press release from federal officials, Dean Edward Cheves, 63, worked in the U.S. embassy in the Philippines from 2017 to 2021, during which time he contacted “several juveniles through the internet.”

According to court documents, Cheves kept in touch with a 15-to 16-year-old who was paid to make and send him obscene photos of the minor from December 2020 to March 2021.

In February 2021, Cheves engaged in sexual activities on two separate occasions with a second 16-year-old Philippine juvenile he met online.

Police say that Cheves used his government-issued cell phone at least once to record himself having sexual contact with a minor.

The movies and photos of the youngsters were discovered on equipment taken from his apartment at the embassy.

According to investigators, Cheves knew the ages of both kids at the time he participated in the activity.

His case was pursued as part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood, a countrywide program to tackle the rising pandemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. He was returned to the United States in March 2021.

On January 20, Cheves is due to be sentenced. Each offense carries a potential sentence of 30 years in prison.