LOS ANGELES – A former University of Southern California professor wanted for committing sex crimes in the Philippines was named in the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List on Monday.
Walter Lee Williams became the 500th person named on the infamous list, FBI officials said.
Williams is a former tenured professor where he taught anthropology and gender studies. He’s also affiliated with the Buddhist Universal Association.
The 64-year-old is wanted for allegedly sexually exploiting children, traveling abroad to engage in sex acts with minors, and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, officials said.
FBI officials said it had identified 10 victims between ages 9 and 17. Williams is believed to have used his status as a professor and academic research as a guise to prey on young boys across Southeast Asia.
“Because of his status, he has the means and access to children – and that’s what makes him dangerous,” said FBI case agent Jeff Yesensky on an FBI podcast.
“He preys on the most vulnerable children,” Yesensky added.
Williams has traveled to the Philippines and may have lived in Indonesia, Polynesia and Thailand. He may have also traveled to Mexico or Peru, FBI officials said.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Williams on April 30, 2013.
According to the indictment, Williams traveled to the Philippines in January 2011. He allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conduct with underage boys and took photos of the encounters before arriving back to Los Angeles.
Williams fled shortly after FBI agents interviewed him.
“The allegations Williams faces are serious and we hope to catch him quickly before more children are abused, ” said Bill L. Lewis, assistant director for the FBI in Los Angeles.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Williams.
FBI officials said with the public’s help, of the 500 people named to the list over its 63 years, 469 have been apprehended or located.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek June 19, 2013 Sec A pg.1)