Wayne Nelson Corliss was arrested yesterday in New Jersey, as he was suspected of sexually abusing at
least three boys from Southeast Asia who were
6 and 10 years old at the time, the international police agency said.
Thanks to a rare international alert, Corliss, who was shown
in dozens of raw child porn images, has been finally captured. Apparently he is
a small-time actor, who painted faces at children’s parties and dressed up like
Santa Claus.
According to The Associated Press, the suspect told
authorities that, six years ago, he had sex with three boys in Thailand, an
experience he described as “euphoria,” a prosecutor said Thursday at Corliss'
first court appearance.
The 58-year-old man was arrested at his Union City apartment late Wednesday after a
two-day global manhunt. The Interpol had asked for the public’s help because
the 2 year police investigation was unsuccessful.
Ronald Noble, the Agency’s head, said that the appeal was an
“extraordinary success” and that this kind of method could be expanded to
“seriously wanted international criminals,” reports Boston Herald.
Corliss faces 10 to 20 years in a federal prison, as he is
charged with producing child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vartan said that agents found
about 1,000 images of child pornography on Corliss’ computer hard drives and
several pairs of boys' underwear, including one that Corliss told authorities
he brought back from Thailand
as a souvenir.
Appearances may be very deceiving as neighbors and
colleagues said Corliss, who acted under the stage name Casey Wayne, was a
witty and stable man.
Judy Stone, a
neighbor who worked with him as an entertainer said he was very good at his
job.
“He’s the best Santa Claus anyone has ever seen. I’ve never
seen him act in a way that was creepy or predatory toward children. I’ve worked
many children's parties with him. Whatever he did in Thailand,
he did in Thailand.
Whatever he did ... he didn't do it here or convey that in his work with
children,” said Stone.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
Corliss traveled extensively in Asia, including trips to Thailand in
2000 and 2002.