A 41-year-old American teacher, Robert Leroy Keller, was arrested in Bangkok. Charged with indecency involving an underage student, Keller denies the allegations. The investigation follows a complaint from the student’s mother.
An American teacher in Bangkok was arrested in the Bang Khae district of the city on Tuesday afternoon. The arrest followed a Criminal Court warrant issued in Thonburi last Friday. 41-year-old Robert Leroy Miller is facing an investigation into time spent with an underage student at his home on February 24th. The American is presently facing an indecency charge, which he categorically denies.
A 41-year-old American teacher was arrested by Bangkok police on Tuesday afternoon. Robert Leroy Keller was taken into custody by officers from Phetkasem Police Station.
Later, a briefing was given to the media by Metropolitan Police Division 9 Commander, Police Colonel Prasong Anmanee.
The teacher was taken in for questioning under an arrest warrant issued by Thonburi Criminal Court on Friday, August 30th. The matter relates to a complaint from the mother of a 14-year-old girl. The teenager is reportedly a pupil of the American teacher at a Bangkok school.
American teacher arrested for taking an underage student for ‘indecent purposes’ under Thai criminal code
The American is charged with “taking a child under the age of fifteen for indecent purposes, even if that person consents, and abducting a child under the age of fifteen from a parent, guardian, or caregiver for indecent purposes.”
According to reports, Mr. Keller denies the charges. He claims that the incident involved him taking the underage student to his condominium in Bang Khae for further studies.
Police Colonel Prasong explained that a complaint was filed in relation to the matter last March. The incident in question took place on Friday, February 16th.
On that day, the mother of the teenager had sent her daughter to school at 7 am.
Robert Leroy Keller is a language teacher at the institution. At approximately 2:30 p.m., after school ended, the mother received a call from her daughter. The daughter said she would like to spend some time with friends.
Mother’s frantic calls after girl went missing for hours, later a friend’s revelations led to a criminal case
However, when the mother phoned her daughter back at 4:00 p.m., there was no reply. In a panic, she repeatedly called her daughter’s phone, making over 20 calls until finally, at 6:00 p.m., her daughter answered.
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In turn, the daughter explained that she was at a shopping mall. Indeed, she insisted that she had not been alone. The mother was suspicious as her daughter had never ventured far from home before.
In the meantime, on March 6th, the mother received a call from a teacher at the school. The concerned teacher had become aware of a liaison between the American teacher and the woman’s daughter. The source of the information was a school friend of the female student.
The friend explained to the shocked mother that her daughter had been at Mr. Keller’s apartment. Furthermore, there were suggestions of physical and sexual impropriety. The situation appeared out of order.
The mother informed the teacher that she had never consented to such a rendezvous, and her daughter had suggested she was just with friends.
Arrest warrant issued as teacher faces serious legal charges in Thailand which treats such cases harshly
Afterwards, the teacher and the mother received additional information from the teenager’s school friends. As a responsible parent and guardian, the mother decided to file a complaint at Phetkasem Police Station.
Following an investigation into the complaint, police obtained an arrest warrant last week. On Tuesday, officers at Phetkasem Police Station ascertained that Mr. Keller was living at a condominium unit in Bang Khae, western Bangkok.
At length, officers knocked on the door and confronted the American teacher with the warrant. Afterwards, he was arrested and taken in for questioning. It is understood that the teacher faces legal proceedings under Section 279 of the Criminal Code. A conviction under this law could result in a sentence of up to ten years in prison.
Moreover, the Thai Criminal Code provides for even stricter charges and punishments for those who use their position of authority with underage victims. Under Section 278, a term of imprisonment of up to fifteen years can be imposed.
Furthermore, if convicted of having sexual intercourse with an underage girl, the penalty is even harsher. Section 277 provides for a penalty of up to twenty years imprisonment, with a minimum sentence of four years.
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Further reading:
Police arrest shocked UK man on Bangkok street. Nabbed for underage sex with a child prostitute
57-year-old UK paedophile may have offended in Thailand as judge jails him until he is 90 years old
Thailand tightens screening of foreign English teachers following paedophile arrest
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Thailand tightens screening of foreign English teachers following paedophile arrest
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