Edmond man confesses to crimes in Kenya

By Mark Schlachtenhaufen
Edmond Sun
July 22, 2014

http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x1027602409/Edmond-man-confesses-to-crimes-in-Kenya

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.

Grand jurors allege that Durham volunteered with Upendo in June 2012, June 2013, December 2013 and from April 30 to June 17, 2014, according to the complaint.

For the latest trip, Durham specifically requested to stay at the children’s home in an overflow bunk rather than at an off-site facility with a sponsor family, court records state. He explained he would be in a better position to assist the children if he stayed with them, court records state.

In early June, a live-in caretaker at Upendo began to notice odd behavior by Durham with the children such as finding him late at night lying beside some of the children on their beds and providing lingering embraces with them, according to court records.

When the caretaker asked the children about Durham, several said he often touched them in a sexual manner or told them to touch themselves while he watched, court records state.

On June 12, the founder learned of the allegations and confronted Durham who initially denied them, but admitted to be struggling with homosexuality and child pornography, according to court records.

She kept Durham’s passport and had him removed out of the facility to a temporary house away from any children, court records state.

On June 17, Durham admitted to performing sexual acts on several of the children including having sexual intercourse with them, according to court records; and at least one of whom is HIV positive.

During the confession, the founder was recording him through her cell phone and has saved the video, court records state. When his description became unbearable for her to hear, she had Durham write he had done with the children, court records state.

She provided the U.S. Embassy with copies of the page-long handwritten, signed statements by Durham, according to court records. Excerpts from six of them are listed in court records.

In one of them, after describing an illicit sex act with a victim, Durham stated: “Any time I try to read the Bible or pray, this image comes to my head.”

On June 17, a report was filed at the Juja police station. Police requested medical exams of victims and Durham returned to Edmond after receiving his passport, court records state.

On June 30, an officer at the U.S. Embassy notified the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Criminal Investigative Office to request assistance from a domestic law enforcement agency to pursue possible domestic charges for the alleged crimes committed in Kenya.

On July 17, Durham was arrested. He appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in Oklahoma City late Friday afternoon, according to court records. He is being held without bond and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 1.

If convicted, Durham faces up to life in prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Don Gifford II.