Former Federal Agent Found Guilty of Enticing a Minor and Engaging in Sex Tourism in the Philippines

DOJ Press

East  St.  Louis,  Ill.  –    A  Cahokia,  Illinois,  man  was  found  guilty  as  charged  last  
week  for Enticement of a Minor, Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, and 
Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in a Foreign Place. Sentencing is set for August 24, 2022, in 
front of the Honorable Judge Stephen P. McGlynn.

According to evidence presented during trial, Joseph Albert Fuchs, III, an American citizen, met a 
14-year-old girl while visiting the Philippines. Fuchs then engaged in sexual conversations with 
the minor using Facebook. During those conversations, Fuchs discussed ways to evade detection of 
her age when he would return to the Philippines to engage in sexual acts with her at a hotel. Fuchs 
then returned to the Philippines in March of 2019 and engaged in sexual acts with the 14- year-old 
minor. During this time, Fuchs was a special agent for the United States Postal Service Office  of  
Inspector  General  (USPSOIG).  USPSOIG  provided  their  full  cooperation  into  the 
investigation. Investigation further revealed that Fuchs sent nearly $1,000.00 to the minor over a 
year long period.

“Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to those in positions of power or trust that if 
you engage in this behavior and seek to harm the innocent, you will be held accountable and brought 
to justice,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Angie Salazar.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the HSI 
Attaché Manila, the Philippine National Police, and the Cahokia Police Department. The case was 
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ali Burns and Laura Reppert.


This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 
by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 
Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and  
Obscenity  Section,  Project  Safe  Childhood  marshals  federal,  state,  and  local  resources to 
locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and  
rescue   victims.   For   more   information   about   Project   Safe   Childhood,   please   visit 
www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For  more  information  about  internet  safety  education,  please  visit
www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


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