Two Maryland Men Charged in Connection With Justice Department’s Operation Iron Pursuit

Baltimore, Maryland – Two Maryland men face indictment for child sexual abuse crimes stemming from the Department of Justice’s Operation Iron Pursuit. Tarif Jahmil Alston, 43, of Baltimore, and Gleybar Josue Ramirez-Clemente, 21, of Frederick, are charged with sexually exploiting children. Operation Iron Pursuit commenced April 1 and ended April 30. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictments with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche; FBI Director Kash Patel; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS). The Department announced the results from the one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. Law enforcement located more than 200 child victims and arrested more than 350 child sexual abuse offenders. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort. The Administration for Children and Families recognized April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month . “This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” Blanche said. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.” “Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” Patel said. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.” “One of our highest priorities is protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. Operation Iron Pursuit underscores the Department of Justice and our office’s commitment to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting individuals who exploit and abuse our children, and ensuring victims are safely returned to their loved ones,” Hayes said. “We will continue working closely with our community and law enforcement partners to secure justice for every victim.” “Operation Iron Pursuit is another example of how our Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force is working to protect children across Maryland,” Paul said. “Together with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are taking dangerous child predators off the streets to face justice in federal court.” “The success of this operation was the result of effective cooperation among federal, state, and local law enforcement, and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication by the deputies who took part,” Fuchs said. “The recovery of critically missing children and the pursuit of child predators is a top priority of the Marshals Service and operations like this one serve as a reminder that we will not rest until fugitive sex offenders are brought to justice and missing children are reunited with their families.” Alston, a previously convicted sex offender, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Ramirez-Clemente is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement, and possession of child sexual abuse material. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Other individuals arr