Houston Man Posing as Doctor Sexually Exploited Minors, Receives 27 Year Prison Sentence

Nam Vu Bui, a 39-year-old Houston resident, has been sentenced to 330 months in prison for the production of child pornography involving multiple minor female victims.

Bui pleaded guilty on August 21, leading to Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal’s recent sentencing. During the hearing, two of the victims shared their experiences, receiving recognition for their bravery in recounting the events and the lasting trauma caused by Bui’s actions.

In addition to the prison term, Bui has been ordered to pay $19,680 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following his imprisonment. The supervised release comes with strict requirements aimed at restricting his access to children and the internet. Bui is also mandated to register as a sex offender.

Judge Rosenthal emphasized the severity of Bui’s actions, stating that what he did was evil. The judge explicitly referred to the crimes as rape, highlighting the gravity of child sexual assaults.

U.S. Attorney Hamdani commended the bravery of the victims and expressed hope that their courage would inspire more survivors to come forward and speak out against their abusers.

Bui initially came to the attention of law enforcement in Vermont for posing as a medical student conducting cancer research. His deceptive actions involved convincing his girlfriend’s friends to undergo gynecological exams, during which he secretly recorded them without consent. This investigation revealed Bui’s origin in Houston and his infiltration of his girlfriend’s family and other Vietnamese immigrants.

During tutoring sessions, Bui sexually molested minor victims and recorded illicit acts, including oral sex. He deceived victims into creating child pornography and engaged in elaborate schemes, such as pretending to be attorneys or vigilantes combatting a fictitious child pornography ring.

A search at Bui’s residence in Houston, conducted by the Houston Police Department with assistance from the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Middlebury College Department of Public Safety, and Vermont FBI, uncovered evidence confirming his production of explicit images involving three minor victims.

Bui will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, with the location to be determined in the near future.