Two Maryland Men Charged With Child Sexual Exploitation in Operation Iron Pursuit

Baltimore, Maryland — A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland indicted Tarif Jahmil Alston, 43, of Baltimore, and Gleybar Josue Ramirez-Clemente, 21, of Frederick, on charges of sexually exploiting children, the Justice Department announced on May 7, 2026.

The indictment names two defendants and alleges specific conduct involving the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Operation Iron Pursuit, the broader Justice Department initiative under which the charges were brought, has produced multiple cases targeting individuals who create, possess or share such material through online platforms.

The charges alter the defendants’ legal status from uncharged suspects to indicted defendants facing potential mandatory minimum sentences under federal statutes that govern child sexual exploitation. Arraignment and trial dates have not yet been set; upon conviction, the defendants face imprisonment, supervised release and restitution obligations to victims.

Downstream, the indictment requires the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to prepare evidence for trial and triggers discovery obligations to the defense. It also obligates federal probation and pretrial services to manage the defendants’ conditions of release or detention.

The cases will be docketed publicly in the District of Maryland’s electronic case filing system, allowing victim advocates and law enforcement partners to track proceedings. Additional co-conspirators or online platforms identified during prosecution may face separate charges or civil forfeiture actions.

This indictment represents the latest charging action made public under Operation Iron Pursuit. The Justice Department has used the operation to coordinate federal, state and local agencies in investigations that begin with tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline and end in federal court.