Allentown Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Charges

PHILADELPHIA - Ramy Ahmed, 30, of Allentown, PA, was charged today by indictment with transportation of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that between February 2013 and April 2013, Ahmed engaged in online conversations with an undercover agent posing as the father of an 8-year old girl whom Ahmed expressed an interest in having sex with. It is further alleged that Ahmed sent images of child porn to the agent and, on April 2, 2013, drove from Allentown the New Jersey to meet with the agent thinking he is setting up a sexual encounter with the child. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and remains in custody pending an arraignment.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Fox.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525