Cebu court convicts Australian, Filipina for cybersex operation
A jail officer helps Drew Frederick Shobbrook put his finger marks on a court document after the verdict against him was read. CDN /ADOR MAYOL
CEBU CITY–An Australian national and his female companion were convicted by a Cebu City court on Tuesday for operating a cybersex den and exploiting minors in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City in 2013.
Drew Frederick Shobbrook was found guilty by the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 20 of two counts of qualified trafficking and one count of child pornography.
Shobbrook was sentenced to serve three life prison terms.
His co-accused, Leslie Ann Crasco, a Filipina, was meanwhile sentenced to serve one life term after she was found guilty of qualified trafficking.
RTC Branch 20 Judge Marlon Jay Moneva said the court found sufficient evidence to prove the guilt of the two accused.
Shobbrook and Crasco were arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who raided his apartment on April 17, 2013 and rescued 15 women – four them minors.
The NBI agents were assisted during the raid by members of the International Justice Mission, an anti-human trafficking non-government organization and the Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking.
Seized during the raid were seven laptops, desktop computers, computer parts, an iPad tablet, hard disks which allegedly contain explicit and lewd photographs, an unlicensed .45 caliber pistol and a .38 caliber revolver and assorted sex toys.
Three of the rescued victims told authorities that they were paid to perform sex acts in front of web cameras. /muf
