American client of Manila cybersex den hauled to jail

Description

A 54-year-old American from Washington was sentenced by a US court to 12 years in federal prison on Thursday for coercing Filipino minors into doing sexual acts over the Internet.

Before being arrested in 2011 by Homeland Security agents in his Pennsylvania home, Jeffrey Herschell would order the girls on the other part of the Pacific to act out his sexual fantasies while a trafficker would help direct them as cameraman.

A CNN documentary showing local officials conducting a raid of a Manila-based sex trafficking den led American investigators to Herschell.

The girls featured in the film described how Americans like Herschell, whom they call "maniacs," would pay $27 per hour in the sex chat room.