OKLAHOMA
The Edmond Sun
Mark Schlachtenhaufen
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — A federal grand jury alleges a 19-year-old Edmond man staying at a children’s’ home in Kenya engaged in illicit sexual conduct with residents ages 4-9.
An Edmond couple originally from Kenya established Upendo Children’s Home, located in the Juja area of Nairobi, so impoverished children and orphans could have a place to go to school for free. U.S. churches send financial support and volunteers to the home.
Monday morning, the office of U.S. Attorney Sanford Coats announced that on Friday a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Matthew Lane Durham, 19, of Edmond, with traveling to Kenya to engage in illicit sexual conduct with underage children, both male and female, ages 4-9 from April to June.
Durham is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defense counsel information was not available Monday.
An effort to gain comment from the founding couple was under way; they are not named in the complaint.
Federal law makes it a crime for any U.S. citizen to travel in foreign commerce and engage in any illicit sexual conduct with another person under the age of 18. Durham traveled to and from Kenya out of Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport, according to court records.
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