ALEXANDRIA, Va. — An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. resulted in a Honduran national who raped a 13-year-old victim receiving a five-year prison sentence for receiving child sexual abuse material and assaulting a federal officer.
Jhoan Esau Lemus-Ramos, 23, received the federal prison sentence June 27 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Jhoan Esau Lemus-Ramos traumatized his young victim by forcing himself on her after she refused his advances. He later compelled her to relive the agony by continuing to harass her against her will,” said HSI Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon. “Lemus-Ramos posed a significant threat to the children of our Virginia neighborhoods. HSI Washington will not allow the victimization of our most vulnerable residents. We will continue to investigate and apprehend anyone who seeks to victimize children in our community.”
According to the HSI investigation, Lemus-Ramos unlawfully entered the United States in 2021. In February 2022, he contacted a 13-year-old girl through an internet messaging app.
In March 2022, Lemus-Ramos met the child in a parking lot in Herndon. When she attempted to resist his sexual advances, he forcibly raped her.
For the next several months through at least August 2022, Lemus-Ramos repeatedly asked the victim for nude or semi-nude photographs. She eventually complied and sent the photos via cellphone. When the girl wanted to stop interacting with Lemus-Ramos, he used the photos to threaten her and force her to have sex with him. The threats only stopped when the victim contacted Herndon Police for help.
A forensic examination revealed messages between Lemus-Ramos and the victim as well as child sexual abuse material.
On Jan. 4, 2024, deportation officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., arrived at Lemus-Ramos’ residence in Springfield with a warrant for his arrest. As they attempted to arrest him, he struck an officer in the face, causing an injury that required stitches.
This investigation was conducted by HSI Washington, D.C. with significant assistance from ERO Washington, D.C. and the Herndon Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. attorneys' offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Anyone with information about child sexual abuse material or other crimes is highly encouraged to contact the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP. Callers may remain anonymous.
Learn more about HSI Washington, D.C.’s mission to increase public safety in our Virginia communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSI_DC.