U.S. Pedophile Released From Costa Rica Prison 15 Years Early

Joe Baker was released after serving about  10 years of a 24 year sentence from a Puntarenas Prison for  exploiting underage children.

Joe Baker was released after serving about 10 years of a 24 year sentence from a Puntarenas Prison for exploiting underage children.

Updated on 5/27/10 – TicoTimes Editors note: Joe Baker has a Facebook account, please NO THREATS, but might want to let him know how you feel….

Update on 8/18/10 – After many complaints,  Mr. Bakers account at Facebook was deleted.

In June 1999 Costa Rica passed a law against the sexual exploitation of minors. “With this law, we say to foreigners who want to come here to abuse our children that they will find a jail cell waiting for them,” said then President Miguel Angel Rodriguez at the signing ceremony.

Rodriguez later added that those convicted under the law would serve the full sentence with no chance of appeal or early release.

In July, 2007, President Oscar Arias toughened the country’s laws against sexual exploitation of minors, banning possession of child pornography and extending the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors. The government finally had become particularly sensitive to suggestions that foreign tourists came to Costa Rica to sexually exploit underage children, and wanted the world to know that pedophilia has serious consequences and will not be tolerated.

However, it appears that these exploitation laws are not being enforced. Costa Rica is experiencing a meltdown in its court system. This is especially true in this particular case, which has caused a huge public outcry because it has threatened the safety of our children.

In 1996, Boston dentist Arthur Kanev and Oklahoma City dog trainer Joe Baker arrived in Costa Rica and started to exploit young girls and boys. In January 1999 they were arrested after several underage girls testified that they were lured off the streets by offers of $40 to join parties with foreign men at Mr. Kanev’s luxury beach house outside Quepos. The girls were drugged, raped and photographed. More than 300 nude photographs of girls between 11 and 16 were found on the premises.

Both Baker and Kanev posted bail, and while their case awaited trial, continued to  regularly abuse underage girls until Kanev fled to the United States (rumored to have been helped by the Russian mafia), hiding out to avoid prosecution.

Arthur Kanev, handcuffs covered by a jacket, becomes the first US citizen to be extradited   to Costa Rica. Arthur Kanev, handcuffs Covered by a jacket, Becomes the first U.S. citizen  to be extradited to Costa Rica.

Arthur Kanev, handcuffs covered by a jacket, and flanked by law enforcers, becomes the first US citizen to be extradited to Costa Rica for sexual abuse of children.

After a delay of three years, in March, 2002, US citizen Joseph Curtis Baker was convicted of supplying drugs to minors and sentenced to 24 years in prison. According to the courts there was insufficient evidence for conviction on other charges of production of child pornography and sexual abuse of children.

Meanwhile, Kanev became headline news, because he was the first U.S. citizen ever to be extradited to Costa Rica after being caught in Florida in August 2003 when a neighbor recognized him while watching the popular TV show “America’s Most Wanted” – even though the United States and Costa Rica have had an extradition treaty for years.

Joe Baker was released earlier this month after doing less than 10 years of his 24-year sentence.  Costa Rican’s were shocked at the early release, and many have posted the alarming news on Twitter and Facebook, including on our Tico Times Directory Facebook.

We also have received emails claiming that Baker has rented a room in the center of the small town of Esterillos (a few miles north of Quepos), right in the same area where he first sexually exploited underage children.

Related Post: Sexual Predator take Job in Esterillos

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Comments

  1. M Blanco says:

    I was born in Costa Rica, my parents brought us to the USA in 1959. Since I have been in CR 7 times, 5 in the 1960s, in 1979, and in 2004. I do speak spanish thanks to my parents and whenever I do speak spanish I use the maje, cabron, huevon language I learned from those cousins of mine that came to the USA to visit. I’ve known since the early 70s that CR has institutionalized prostitution, that it is a right of passage for men to use the prostitution services available. When I finished my first 4 years in the US Marines (Semper Fi) I traveled to CR for the summer of 1979 by the urgency of one of my cousins. I spent 11 weeks there and I could not believe the pressure from my cousins to hit the brothels, shit they thought I was gay because I refused to use the services of a prostitude. The reason I am leaving a comment here is because I remember some of the acquaintences in CR that summer discussing going to Guanacaste by the border to Nicaragua to find younger “girls”. The word hey used I cannot recall but the literal translation to english would be a young cow, I think it was “ternerita”. It was long ago, lol. so reading this article does not surprise me at all. The issue in Costa Rica is not the foreign perverts as much as it is the costarican that support this practice. But I am sure with the destitude 800,000 nicaraguan in Costa Rica there is a rich ground for this type of sex industry to continue.

  2. LUANNE says:

    JUST TO INFORM ALL THAT THIS PERSON JOE CURTIS BAKER IS DEAD NOW. HE DIED IN SEPT. OF 2010. I DONT KNOW HOW. I AM SICK TO DEATH TO SAY THAT I KNEW HIM. IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. I DONT THINK HE WAS ALWAYS BAD, HIS LIFE JUST GOT SO TWISTED. NOW HE HAS GOTTEN WHAT HE DESERVES. ETERNAL HELL. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON HIS SOUL. I AM SORRY FOR HIM THE PEOPLE HE HURT.

  3. I use to work for the jerk in blue. You never know person

  4. Roy Btryant says:

    Good article, please keep you readers informed as to the status of these two individuals. A letter to the FBI wouldn’t hurt quite possibly it might get them involved. I am sure they would just love to make a case like this one.

  5. bountyman says:

    The only person that needs to watch their backs is joe…
    Scum wont last.

  6. Antonio says:

    U.S. law enforcement needs to take care of this guy. In 1996 the U.S. passed a law that makes it a federal crime to travel outside the United States for the purpose of engaging in sex with a minor. Marvin Hersh from Florida went to prison in the U.S. because of his illegal activities in Central America. There was also a character who about five years ago was arrested in Thailand and charged in the U.S. under the same law.

  7. Linda says:

    I am in the US, but if I were this jerk Joe Baker, I would be watching my back, I think a lot of people in Costa Rica would love to do him in, & someone probaly will before long, they know where he is staying & what he looks like. I cant believe he was released early. what a scum bag.

  8. jorge says:

    US Embassy where are you???This is youre guy!!!Get him out of Costa Rica.You know where he is at and what he has done.No mercy this is not a regular guy ,he is a pedophile!!!,this guy has no forgiveness;drugging, rapping and abusing innocent children.YES,i am costarrican and SUPER PISSED OFF.Whatch out joe baker, youre BAKED!!!!

  9. jimharo says:

    people like this should be thrown to the lions. what a pity that parents have to deal with fear that asholes like this pervert are set free … shame on the legal system..

  10. why is this devil outside without serving full sentence!!!Deport this pervert!!Another piece of shit doing whatever they want in Costa Rica!!Watch out he is at Hotel La Felicidad in Esterillos Centro, and i guess looking for his next little angel.Burn in hell!!!!

  11. Why don’t they post this in LA NACION, this is soo dangerous. Next to la felicidad there is a humble house w small children, this needs to be posted EVERYWHERE. I’ve already heard stories about him arriving w hookers. THey need to tell the lady next door to the hotel. UGH this is sooo sick….he is a demon!

  12. 5in5costarica says:

    this fu@@er should be hanged by his balls!!!

  13. Queposgirl says:

    I live in Quepos and have 3 kids under 10, thank you for letting me know about this evil that lives a few miles away

  14. ticoman says:

    Thank you very much Tico Times for making this dirt bag known throughout the country… lets hope others jump on the bandwagon to help protect our children…

  15. Laura Bolandi M says:

    Thank you very much to protect our families and stopping these situations.

    We’ll send a list of pedophiles in my area in order to frame these sexual predators, as in the prosecution and Quepos Pantronato not mind such matters as Graves.

    Att
    Bolandi Laura M.
    1-1148-446

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