A Colorado man was sentenced on Friday to 210 years in federal prison for the sexual abuse of multiple children at a Haitian orphanage he founded and operated for more than two decades.

Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, Colorado, was convicted in February 2025 by a U.S. federal jury on seven charges: one count of traveling in foreign commerce with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. The offenses occurred between 2005 and 2010 and involved six different victims — all children at the time.

Geilenfeld founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys in Haiti in 1985, a facility meant to provide care for orphaned and vulnerable youth. According to court documents and trial testimony, Geilenfeld used his position to sexually, physically, and emotionally abuse the children under his care. He regularly traveled between the United States and Haiti, where he carried out the abuse over several years.

During the trial, victims gave detailed testimony about the repeated abuse they suffered and the long-term trauma it caused. Additional victims, not included in the criminal charges, also came forward to describe similar experiences, painting a broader picture of systemic abuse. Witnesses described how Geilenfeld maintained control over the children through physical punishment and psychological manipulation while presenting himself to the outside world as a humanitarian.

“The defendant’s sustained sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of some of the most vulnerable children in the world is intolerable,” said Matthew Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This sentencing sends a clear message: those who travel abroad to abuse children will face justice.”

Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division echoed the sentiment. “For decades, Geilenfeld used his position of trust and access to exploit vulnerable children under the guise of humanitarian work. This sentence marks a measure of justice secured through the bravery of survivors and the tireless work of investigators.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk of the Southern District of Florida.

Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing child exploitation cases across borders, regardless of how much time has passed.

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