FEDS ARREST ‘BEST SANTA EVER’ IN NEW JERSEY ON CHILD SEX CHARGES

Wayne Nelson Corliss, a 58 year old small-time actor, who painted faces at children's parties and performed as the best Santa Claus anyone has ever seen, was arrested in New Jersey on child-sex charges May 7 after an international manhunt.  According to Interpol, he is suspected of sexually abusing at least three boys from Southeast Asia thought to have been 6 to 10 years old.  Corliss told authorities that he had sex with three boys in Thailand six years ago, an experience he described as euphoria.  He is charged with producing child pornography and could face 10 to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.  Agents found about 1,000 images of child pornography on computer hard drives in his apartment.

It was only the second time that Interpol had launched such a public manhunt for a suspected pedophile.  The first time, in October, led to the quick arrest by police in Thailand of Christopher Paul Neil, a 32 year old Canadian.  Neil went on trial in March, accused of sexually abusing a 9 year old boy.

(Newark, New Jersey)