Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé sentenced Byron Andújar-Ramos to 17 years and six months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a female minor, who is deaf and mute, when she was 12 to 14 years old, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Andújar-Ramos was indicted on November 25, 2024, arrested on December 9, 2024, and plead guilty on November 10, 2025.

According to court documents, in or about June 2022 to in or about August 2024, Byron Andújar-Ramos used a cellular phone, as well as internet instant messaging services, to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a female minor between the ages of 12 and 14 years old to engage in sexual activity.

According to the facts admitted during the change of plea hearing, from June 2022 to August 2024 Andújar-Ramos engaged in a sexual act with the female minor victim. In a cellular phone used by the victim, HSI special agents found a WhatsApp chat between the minor and defendant Andújar-Ramos. The communications were sexually explicit. In the communications, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the female minor victim to engage in sexual activity. Andújar-Ramos wrote that he wanted to make love to her, told her he was in love with her, requested to engage in sexually explicit video calls with the female minor, asked her to call him through video camera, asked the victim if she wanted to have sexual activity with him, and asked her if she wanted to see his privates.

“The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute those criminals who exploit and harm children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Exploitation of our children has no place in civilized society.”

HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos said: “The court’s decision to impose a significantly higher sentence than initially agreed upon underscores the seriousness of these crimes and the unwavering commitment of our justice system to protect vulnerable victims. This outcome sends a clear message: those who commit such heinous acts will face severe consequences. HSI San Juan remains steadfast in our pursuit of justice and in supporting survivors every step of the way.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.justice.gov/psc.

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