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Idaho educator jailed in China for over 2 years returns to America

Posted on June 1, 2022

The director of a former Rexburg-based English teaching program is back in the United States after being jailed in China for more than 2 1/2 years.

Alyssa Petersen was arrested by Chinese police in September 2019 while she was working as the director of China Horizons.

She and her boss, Jacob Harlan – the owner and founder of the company — were accused of illegally moving people across borders.

The Idaho Statesman reports the Rexburg company arranges for college students to visit China and teach English to students.

Earlier this month, Alyssa was sentenced to serve 2 1/2 years in jail with credit for time served and a release date of May 23.

On Sunday, she was taken to an airport in China, and flown back to her home in the United States.

Harlan is still in China and the future of his case remains uncertain, but his wife says on a GoFundMe page that she hopes he will be released soon.

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