With US Cooperation, American Sentenced To 30 Years In Colombia For Child Sexual Exploitation

Californian Thomas Michael Renno has been sentenced to 30 years, 6 months in a Colombian prison for sexually abusing at least five Colombian youths in Medellín, Colombia. According to the Colombian attorney general’s office, the 72-year-old man from San Francisco, California held conversations via the Internet and offered various sums of money to the underage girls to allow him to arrange sexual encounters with them. This person identified himself with different profiles, including Tom Renno, Tom Rene and Tom Reinolds; however, law enforcement established that his real identity was Thomas Michael Renno.

During the course of the proceedings, prosecutors demonstratied that the American, between May 2017 and May 2018, entered the country on seven occasions, through the José María Córdova airport, in Rionegro, a suburb of Medellín. It also became evident that during his trips he stayed in Medellín, located the girls and adolescents he had previously contacted; and, in exchange for money, induced them to perform sexual acts.

US and Colombian authorities working together

On September 5, 2018, the Medellín Section of the Attorney General’s Office received reports from the United States government that a computer in the capital of Antioquia was used to solicit sexual services from children and adolescents.

The information referred to conversations on Facebook and Messenger chat platforms, in which Renno offered up to $100 for girls under 18 years of age.

The man involved in the conversations was identified as Thomas Michael Renno who, according to the evidence collected, sought to evade action by the authorities with three different profiles (Tom Renno, Tom Rene and Tom Reinolds) that he also used to share photographs, videos and other types of pornographic material.

The process revealed that the Californian entered the country on seven occasions between May 9, 2017 and May 26, 2018. During this period, he allegedly committed illegal activities with girls and adolescents.

Capture

Renno, an American national carrying a cédula (national identification) issued by Colombian authorities, arrived last Thursday at the José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro (Antioquia), from San Francisco,California.

The U.S. Embassy in Colombia warned Colombian counterparts that the man might visit Medellín between March 26 and 28, so investigators from the National Police’s DIJIN investigative branch waited for him at the airport and executed the arrest warrant obtained by the Prosecutor’s Office.

The timely intervention and coordination between Colombian and U.S. authorities prevented the physical and psychological harm to more minors, given that there is evidence of Renno’s prior contacts with hotels and tour operators that allegedly provided him with underage victims and offered him lodging.

The data provided was verified with the testimony of the mother of one of the young women contacted, who stated that the telephone number and location data of the American citizen appeared on her daughter’s cell phone. Added to this evidence were emails, messages and photographs found on the captured man’s phone.

Crimes

Thomas Michael Renno was brought before a judge in Medellín, where his capture was legalized, as were the elements obtained, and he was charged with the following crimes:

• Demand for commercial exploitation with a person under 18 years of age, aggravated (for being a tourist and involving minors).
• Pornography with persons under 18 years of age in homogeneous and successive concurrence.
• Use or facilitation of social media to offer sexual activities, aggravated in homogeneous and successive concurrence.

The man involved in the conversations was identified as Thomas Michael Renno who, according to the evidence collected, sought to evade action by the authorities with three different profiles (Tom Renno, Tom Rene and Tom Reinolds) that he also used to share photographs, videos and other types of pornographic material.