A Canadian couple has been convicted of sexual assault and threats against two minors in the Dominican Republic.
Adam Eric Pepper and his wife Tracee Lynne Pepper (Plett), both 35-years-old, were sentenced by a court in the Caribbean country on Dec. 4. In a release earlier this month, the country’s Attorney General’s office said Adam had been in pre-trial detention since February 2021. The two were arrested after complaints were made by the families of a 12-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl.
The couple both have ties to Manitoba and were employed by the Commission to Every Nation (CTEN) as missionaries to the Dominican Republic, according to an emailed statement by the organization on Dec. 12. The organization further noted that Tracee had been living in Manitoba prior to her move to the Caribbean.
The Steinbach Evangelical Mennonite Church told Global News Adam volunteered for them back in 2009.
On its website, CTEN is described as an organization that “helps missionaries fulfill the unique vision God has given them.” It adds that it helps missionaries get to a different country, but that many choose to raise their own funds.
According to the Attorney General’s release, a complaint was first made by the mother of the 12-year-old boy after she found images on the boy’s cellphone that were given to him by Adam.
The release notes that the images depicted the child being sexually assaulted.
The ministry’s office stated that the accused would threaten the minor if he said anything. It said the child’s mother reported that Adam told her to leave her son with him more, and to sign a paper stating that if anything happened to the mother, then Adam and his wife would stay with the boy.
Adam’s wife, Tracee, also assaulted the child according to the release. The release said she recorded sexual images of the boy with the 13-year-old girl.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office raided the couple’s home in April 2021, seizing USB sticks, a professional camera with accessories, a suitcase containing high-definition recording equipment, a small digital camera, and other items. The release states that videos were found with images of minors engaging in sexual activity on the cameras.
Adam faces seven years in prison while his wife faces a five-year suspension from work, is prevented from leaving the country, and cannot teach in educational centres.