A Maryland man who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso was sentenced to life for sexually assaulting two teenage girls.
Fode Sitafa Mara, 41, was convicted last year on multiple counts, including aggravated sexual abuse and attempted coercion of minors.
Mara’s crimes occurred in 2022 and 2023 at his embassy-leased residence in Ouagadougou, prosecutors said, exploiting the girls’ vulnerable circumstances.
The victims, ages 13 and 15, lived in poverty nearby, relying on the previous resident of Mara’s home for basic care and safety.
Prosecutors said Mara manipulated the girls’ mother’s severe illness to coerce sexual acts, promising aid in exchange for compliance.
He also provided the girls with phones, enabling him to summon them while his wife was away at work.
Mara has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and his attorney, Robert C. Bonsib, announced plans to appeal the sentence.
The case was prosecuted under U.S. law because Mara’s residence was reserved for diplomatic personnel, giving courts jurisdiction overseas.
It was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Federal authorities said the verdict sends a strong message that abuse of power and exploitation of minors will face relentless prosecution.