Maryland Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

Baltimore, Maryland — A federal grand jury indicted Gleybar Josue Ramirez-Clemente on three counts tied to child sexual exploitation crimes, the U.S. Department of Justice announced May 7, 2026.

Ramirez-Clemente, 21, of Frederick, Maryland, faces charges of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of child sexual abuse material. The indictment, returned in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, alleges conduct that falls under federal statutes carrying potential penalties of decades in prison if convicted.

The scope of the case centers on one identified victim referenced in the charging document. Federal law defines sexual exploitation of a child under 18 U.S.C. § 2251 as using a minor to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. Coercion and enticement falls under 18 U.S.C. § 2422, which prohibits persuading or enticing a minor to engage in prostitution or any sexual activity that can be charged as a criminal offense.

Possession of child sexual abuse material is prohibited under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A.

The indictment shifts the case from investigation to active prosecution. Prior to the May 7 return, Ramirez-Clemente faced no federal charges in this matter. Arraignment and pretrial proceedings now follow on a schedule set by the district court. A conviction on the exploitation count alone triggers a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years for a first offense, per the statutes cited in the Department of Justice release.

Downstream, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland must disclose evidence to the defense under federal discovery rules and Brady obligations. The court will set conditions of release or detention pending trial under the Bail Reform Act.

If the case proceeds to trial, prosecutors must prove each element beyond a reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury. A conviction would also require Ramirez-Clemente to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon release.

This indictment forms part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing enforcement of federal statutes protecting children from online and offline sexual exploitation. The department has brought thousands of such cases in recent years using the same core statutes listed in the charging document.

The Frederick resident’s case will be prosecuted in the Baltimore federal courthouse, where similar child exploitation indictments are publicly docketed on a regular basis.