NEWARK, N.J. — An investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark resulted in a New Jersey man being sentenced May 22 to 121 months in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse material and committing naturalization fraud.
Ramy Mercado, 29, of Jersey City, received the sentence from Judge Claire C. Cecchi in the District Court for the District of New Jersey. Mercado previously pleaded guilty before Cecchi to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of naturalization fraud.
“Today’s sentencing of Ramy Mercado sends a clear message that HSI will do everything we can to protect children from dangerous predators who seek to exploit them for their own greed or self-gratification,” said HSI Newark acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “It is also troubling that Mercado thought he could defraud our nation’s legal immigration system by failing to disclose his desires to exploit children. HSI and our partner agencies will devote every resource available to investigating, prosecuting and convicting these criminals who prey upon our innocent youth.”
According to the investigation, from June 2022 to October 2022, Mercado used his cell phone to transmit more than 20 video files depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including infants or toddlers. Mercado also used his cell phone to communicate his desire for sexual encounters with young children.
During this time, Mercado applied for and obtained U.S. citizenship and stated under penalty of perjury that since his citizenship interview, he had not committed any crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. In fact, Mercado had illegally possessed child sexual abuse material. Mercado became a naturalized U.S. citizen on June 22, 2023.
In addition to the prison term, Cecchi sentenced Mercado to 15 years of supervised release.
HSI is at the forefront of the U.S. government’s efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse through its investigations, victim assistance programs, intelligence and analysis, policy development, and training and awareness programs.
For any child, parent or guardian searching for resources and information on how to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation, visit Know2Protect. If you suspect a child might be a victim, please call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.
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About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.