Two Maryland men indicted on child sex abuse charges amid nationwide crackdown

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Two Maryland men are facing an indictment on child sex abuse crimes connected to the Department of Justice’s Operation Iron Pursuit, a nationwide crackdown on offenders.

The operation ran the entire month of April and was an effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest predators.

In total, law enforcement found over 200 victims, and arrested more than 350 child sex abuse offenders, including the two men in Maryland.

Tarif Jahmil Alston, 43, of Baltimore, and Gleybar Josue Ramirez-Clemente, 21, of Frederick, are charged with sexually exploiting children.

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.

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Ramirez-Clemente is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, via a press release. “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,” FBI Director Kash Patel said, via a press release. “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.”

All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys’ offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.