A North Dakota man is facing charges after prosecutors alleged he sexually abused children in Thailand.
Sean David Snyder, 40, faces one count of possession of materials containing child pornography, three counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and three counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, according to local outlet KMOT.
Snyder pleaded not guilty in court on November 24, the station reported. Snyder’s attorney declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by The Independent.
Prosecutors allege Snyder travelled to Thailand and sexually abused two children in Phuket between 2018 and August 2025, according to court documents reviewed by The Forum, a North Dakota newspaper.
The children told the FBI they knew Snyder, and he began abusing them when they were younger than eight years old, according to court documents.
Police in Thailand asked the FBI for assistance with an investigation into Snyder in September, after receiving reports about the alleged abuse. Local police then issued a warrant for his arrest, and the FBI told Snyder his passport was revoked in October, the documents state.
After searching Snyder’s phone, investigators allegedly found child sex abuse materials on the device, according to The Forum. Investigators also searched his business, Sunny Side Cleaning Services, which is based in Bismarck.
Prosecutors also plan to introduce evidence that Snyder previously abused children and his wife, according to The Forum. A witness from Phuket told investigators that he was a “violent polygamist,” the documents state.
A woman who identified herself as Snyder’s wife spoke to The Forum last month, shortly after the charges were announced. She disputed the sex abuse allegations and claimed he did not go to Thailand, according to the outlet.
Snyder is currently being held at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center in Bismarck, North Dakota. A judge will decide Snyder’s bond on Tuesday, and his trial is set to begin in January.
The Independent has requested comment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Dakota.
