A 41-year-old American citizen has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a federal court found him guilty of sexually abusing two minors while serving abroad.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Fode Sitafa Mara, a resident of Maryland, received the sentence on Wednesday following a two-week trial conducted in October 2025 at a federal court in the United States.
A jury convicted Mara on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. He was also found guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, as well as attempted obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors told the court that the offences occurred between 2022 and 2023 in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. At the time, Mara was employed by the United States embassy in the country.
The abuse reportedly took place inside a residence leased for US diplomatic personnel. Because the property was designated for official government use, it fell under US legal authority, allowing American courts to prosecute the case.
Investigators stated that the victims were aged 13 and 15 when the abuse began, and evidence presented in court showed the acts continued for approximately one year. Prosecutors said the teenagers came from a vulnerable background and that Mara exploited their circumstances.
Court documents revealed that he allegedly used their mother’s serious illness to manipulate them, demanding sexual acts in exchange for assistance. Authorities also testified that he provided the minors with mobile phones to maintain contact, particularly when his wife was away.
In addition to the abuse-related convictions, Mara was found guilty of sending sexually explicit messages to one of the minors and attempting to persuade a housekeeper to mislead investigators during the inquiry.
The case was investigated by US authorities in collaboration with officials in Burkina Faso. It was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation.
Following the sentencing, prosecutors emphasized that the life term reflects the seriousness of the offences and serves as a warning that American citizens who commit crimes against children abroad will still face justice in US courts.
The sentence brings to a close a case that attracted international attention and underscored the reach of US law in prosecuting crimes committed overseas.
