US missionary to be jailed for sexually assaulting Bomet girls

By , K24 Digital
On Wed, 17 Jun, 2020 08:28 | < 1 min read
Gregory Dow
Gregory Dow was at the orphanage in Kenya from 2008 to 2017. PHOTO | FILE
Gregory Dow was at the orphanage in Kenya from 2008 to 2017. PHOTO | FILE

By Felix Yegon

An American charged with molesting minors while running Boito Children’s home in Konoin, Bomet, will know his fate in September.

The US court said on Monday it will sentence the 61-year-old Gregory Dow on September 29.

Dow pleaded guilty to the four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places during a teleconference hearing on Monday with US District judge Edward Smith, federal prosecutors and federal defenders.

Under terms of the plea agreement between the prosecution and defense, Dow would serve 15 years and eight months in prison and must register under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Smith would determine how long Dow will be under supervision after his release and fines. If Smith doesn’t agree to prison term, Dow could withdraw his plea.

This means the accused might spend up to 16 years in jail.

Dow is accused of sexually assaulting four girls between 2013 and 2017 while running the Dow’s family home in which he established in 2008.

He, however, fled the country in 2017 after police were tipped of the illegal acts he has been engaging at the orphanage, which has been closed.

The orphanage got financial support from Lancaster County churches and other nonprofit institutions.

“Dow hid behind his supposed faith on the other side of the world, hoping no one in the US would know or care about the children he abused…He was wrong,” said US Attorney William M McSwain in the case.