There's bad news about a visas-for-sex scandal involving a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in Brazil. A variety of charges were unsealed against one Gons G. Nachman at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria today, and he is being held pending a hearing on Tuesday.
A quick Goggle search indicates that Gons Gutierrez Nachman is a samba dancing enthusiast ("I'm going to work in Brazil in May ... And, I think it's a wonderful way to introduce myself to the country") who also dabbled in amateur photography while stationed in the Congo from 2003 to 2005, where he took pictures of "displaced people," "traditional and modern Congolese dancers," and "children." He is probably the same Gons Gutierrez Nachman who was active in the University of Pennsylvania Naturist Student Association during the 90s.
There are more internet hits on his name, but the subject is just too depressing to continue.
The linked news story says "Court records reflect that a defense lawyer has not yet been appointed," which sounds strange, given that Nachman was relieved of duty as far back as September. Surely he would have lawyered-up as soon as DS agents interviewed him? But Nachman evidently is, or was, a lawyer himself, since his name was included in a 2002 inactive membership roster of the Florida Bar Journal. Could he be foolish enough to represent himself?
4 comments:
I just got an email of a news article about this through the consular mailing. I always hate hearing about these cases, but your info-bits on Mr. Nachman had me laughing.
What in the world is the UPenn "Naturist Student Society"? Does that mean what I think it means?
Funny, but in two of the three cases like this with which I'm somewhat familiar, they were both attorneys.
Of course, he's "innocent until proven guilty" by a jury of his peers, but a jury of his FSO peers would be out buying a nice stout rope and doing their deliberations as they did so at Home Depot. It's good to multi-task like that.
Yes, the "Naturist Student Association" is exactly what you think it is: a clothing-optional coed society.
And you're right about the lawyers, too. I recall that a State legal advisor went postal at a Blockbusters outlet in McLean a few years ago, smashing the storefront window over some petty matter like late fees. Clearly they need more supervision.
The case against Nachman seems solid. I haven't yet found an on-line link to the affidavit that DS agents filed, but reportedly he admitted to sufficient facts to justify conviction, so there should be a fast resolution to this sad situation.
How solid could be this case if the main “witness” was emotionally linked to Nachman? Don’t you think this could be some sort of revenge?
The fact that he was a member or founder of the "Naturist Student Society" is not even worth to be mentioned, how this could affect on his performance as a Foreign Officer?
As a comment, do you know how the prosecutors got the “evidence”? do they used a judge order to search his apartment or his computer? At least in my country, an order is needed to search a house or an office, and this kind of mistakes can be used even to get any “evidence” useless.
Anonymous,
Nachman is charged with producing and possessing child pornography, misuse of his diplomatic passport, and making false statements.
The case against Nachman relies on physical evidence as well as witness testimony. He possessed illegal things [child porn] and signed his name to untruthful statements on official documents.
Much of the evidence seems to have come from Nachman himself. According to news reports, Nachman kept diaries in which he recorded sexual encounters with girls as young as 14 [which is a serious crime here in Gringo-Land], and he made statements to investigators admitting to that and other criminal violations.
Nachman's defense lawyer hasn't alleged that any of the evidence against him was gathered improperly.
So, to answer your questions, I do not think that Nachman is the victim of a revengeful witness, not do I think the evidence against him will be thrown out.
p.s. - I don't think Nachman's college nudist activites effected his performance as an FSO. I think it was his predatory sexual behavior with children and visa applicants that effected his performance as an FSO.
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