Teacher traveled to Thailand for sex tourism - Feds say
A Conecuh County computer teacher bragged in emails about traveling to Thailand to have sex with boys, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Clarence Edwards Evers Jr., 52, was arrested on Thursday morning at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen, authorities said. He taught information technology classes at the school.
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Clarence Edward Evers Jr.
Evers has not been charged with any crime. He is due in court for a preliminary detention hearing at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the U.S. District Courthouse in Mobile.
Unsealed on Thursday, the criminal complaint filed against Evers states that he produced child pornography; transported child pornography; received child pornography; accessed with intent to view child pornography; and, traveled into a foreign country with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
It details a number of explicit emails that Evers sent detailing his sexual encounters dating back to 2004 Evers sent an email in January 2005 where he discusses that activity in Thailand's eastern Gulf coast region was not as bustling as it used to be.
"Not sure if it's the tsunami issue, or just general lack of interest in Thailand, but folks are apparently staying away in droves," Evers wrote, according to the complaint. "All the more for us die-hards, I suppose. Can't wait 'til next year."
Two years ago, Evers discussed in an email with an acquaintance a string of related prosecutions in Thailand.
"I still plan to go this summer, but I definitely have to rethink my playtime strategy," Evers wrote, according to the complaint. "It sure seems more apparent every day that we were there at a very good time in history, and that those good times are exactly that: history."
U.S. Attorney Kenyen Brown addressed the growing threat of child sex tourism in a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
"The relative ease of international travel in modern day society has led to the growth of a dark, clandestine and sinister phenomenon: the extraterritorial sexual exploitation of children," Brown said.
Photographs, movies, emails and other digital files that were seized in connection with the investigation were "voluminous," Brown said.
Currently, investigators have no evidence of local victims, Brown said. But there may be some who have not come forward.
Anyone who has additional information about related crimes should contact Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Conecuh County Sheriff's Office, and the Mobile Child Advocacy Center.
Conecuh County Public Schools Supt. Zickeyous M. Byrd said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that he was unaware of any allegations of abuse between Evers and his students.
Evers was temporarily assigned to the board's main office on Aug. 6 and he has been suspended pending further investigation.
"We are cooperating fully with law enforcement officers in whatever way we can and as soon as we learn more we will keep everyone informed," Evers said.
Prosecutors also said that Evers had a long involvement with the Boy Scouts of America most recently as a scout leader.
Spencer Page, BSA Gulf Coast Council executive director, said that Evers was registered as a den leader in 2000, but he never renewed his registration after that year. You need to maintain your registration with the group to stay active.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the Conecuh County Sheriff's Office.
Teacher traveled to Thailand for sex tourism, feds say | AL.com