Pennsylvania Man Sexually Molested 4 Teen Girls At Kenyan Orphanage He Founded, Federal Prosecutors Say

LANCASTER, Pa. (CBS/AP) — Federal prosecutors say a Pennsylvania man sexually molested four teenage girls at a Kenyan orphanage he founded with a church's help. U.S. Attorney William McSwain announced charges Friday against 60-year-old Gregory Dow, of Lancaster, hours after Dow was taken into custody.

McSwain says Dow fled Kenya in September 2017 after being accused in that country of sexual abuse of girls at the Dow Family Children's Home in Boito, Kenya.

A tipster contacted the Lancaster County prosecutors' office last year. That started an investigation that produced the new charges that he violated a U.S. law against sexual contact with minors in foreign countries.

McSwain says Dow purported to be a Christian missionary. The children at the orphanage referred to Dow as "Dad."

"All of these cases tell a story about my Office working to bring justice to every corner of our District – from Philadelphia, to the Lehigh Valley, to right here in Lancaster," McSwain said in a statement. "I am committed to bringing the resources of my Office here to help ensure that the people of Lancaster can live in safety and security.  We will hold lawbreakers accountable using all of the tools at our disposal."

Dow told the LNP newspaper this year that he had not done anything wrong.

He is expected to appear in federal court in Philadelphia on Friday.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)