Former Peace Corps Volunteer Gets Prison Time For Underage Sex in Cost Rica
U.S. Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that a Santa Cruz (California) man has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for molesting a 14-year-old Costa Rican boy in 2003 while assigned to that country as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Timothy Robert Obert, 39, pleaded guilty in February to a federal child molestation charge in connection with the July 6, 2003 incident. He was sentenced to 51 months in prison today by U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Whyte in San José, California.

"This prosecution shows that we will aggressively pursue and prosecute sexual predators, including United States citizens who choose to molest minors in foreign countries," U.S. Attorney Scott Schools said.

"In this case, because Mr. Obert was a Peace Corps volunteer when he molested the minor in Costa Rica we were able to reach his criminal conduct under that provision of the PATRIOT Act that expanded the jurisdiction of the United States to cover conduct by U.S. personnel on U.S. missions while in foreign countries."

According to the U.S. Attorney's office this case is the first prosecution of a Peace Corps volunteer for sexually assaulting a minor while serving in a foreign country.

"The sentencing of former Peace Corps volunteer Timothy Obert is evidence of our zero tolerance policy for misconduct during Peace Corps service. We maintain high ethical and conduct standards for all our volunteers," Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter said.

Obert is currently free on $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to begin serving his sentence on May 15.