An admitted pornographer whom police say crept back into Cambodia after obtaining a new US passport was deported for the second time in as many years over the weekend.
Immigration police arrested Dan Sandler, 37, whose last known US residence was in the state of Florida, Friday in Daun Penh district after he sneaked into Cambodia with a new passport, Foreign Police Chief Pol Phiethey said. Authorities escorted Sandler to Thailand through Koh Kong province Saturday at about 11 am, Pol Phiethey said.
Sandler re-entered Cambodia on May 6 with a new passport that did not carry a “deported” stamp on it, Pol Phiethey said.
“He wanted to live in Cambodia,” Pol Phiethey said, explaining Sandler’s motives.
It was at least the second time since January 2000 that Sandler has smuggled himself back into Cambodia.
In January 2000, officials deported Sandler and banned him from Cambodia after he created a bondage-sex Web site using local prostitutes. He also posted a Web page with a picture of a young Cambodian girl, featuring the Funcinpec logo and the words, “Call your travel agent today. Visit Cambodia! Twelve-year-old child prostitute…”
Eight months later, Sandler resurfaced in Phnom Penh with a new passport. At that time, Sandler defended the Web site as an attempt to call attention to child trafficking and to attack NGOs he said were harassing him. Sandler said if the government would allow him to stay, he would not create any more sex Web sites. He also promised to give police information on a local brothel he claimed was using underage girls.
“I just want to live here in Cambodia. I’m very obsessed with this country. I just feel like I belong here,” Sandler said last August before leaving Cambodia on his own.
Those feelings are not mutual, Pol Phiethey said.
“We agreed that he would have to be deported because of his offenses,” Pol Phiethey said. “This guy has been warned once already not to come back.”
