CNN) -- An American who founded a home for needy children in Haiti more than 10 years ago has been accused of sexually abusing some of the same boys he set out to help, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Douglas Perlitz, 39, who was indicted this week by a grand jury in Fairfield County, Connecticut, faces 10 counts related to allegations of sexual abuse of nine boys over the span of about a decade, the Justice Department said.
Seven of those counts are for traveling outside of the United States with the intent to have sex with minors, and three counts are for engaging in sexual conduct with minors in a foreign place, according to the indictment.
Perlitz was arrested Wednesday morning at his home in Colorado, but had lived for years in Haiti, the Justice Department said in a news release.
Perlitz used his position as director of the Project Pierre Toussaint in Haiti to manipulate and abuse the boys, the Justice Department said.
He allegedly enticed the nine boys with promises of food and shelter and with gifts such as cell phones and cash, the indictment states.
If convicted, Perlitz faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and fine of $2.5 million, according to the department.
