4/8/13 - A Livingston County man found guilty of sexually abusing poor boys at a residential center he operated in Haiti is seeking a new trial. Attorneys for Matthew Carter of Brighton allege that evidence was inappropriately admitted during his trial and that cross-examination of one of the witnesses on his prior use of intoxicants was not allowed. A jury only deliberated for about 90 minutes in February before convicting Carter on five counts of traveling from Florida to Haiti for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with minors. He was also found guilty of one count of attempting child sex tourism. Carter ran the Morning Star Center in Haiti from 1995 until his 2011 arrest at Miami International Airport, when the Haitian government took the rare step of shutting down the center. Former Morning Star residents testified during the three-week trial that they were molested by Carter as children. Carter has denied the allegations of sexual abuse. Carter faces up to 15 years in prison for the sex tourism charge and up to 30 years in prison on each of the other counts when he is sentenced May 20th. (JK)
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