Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed charging Ramel Warner with sexual exploitation of a child. The defendant was arrested this morning and arraigned before Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. He was detained pending trial.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charge.
“As alleged, while babysitting a seven-year-old boy, the defendant horrifically abused him, filmed the acts and subsequently distributed it on the dark web,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Our Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice anyone who abuses children.”
Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the New York City Police Department for their assistance on the case.
“Ramel Warner is alleged to have used his access to a young child, while babysitting him at his own home, to film himself sexually assaulting the child. Warner’s alleged actions are unconscionable, and we believe there may be more victims. We ask anyone with information regarding his actions to please come forward, so that we can further investigate and aid his victims. The FBI is committed to ensuring the safety of children and holding their abusers accountable in the criminal justice system,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As set forth in court filings, in approximately 2022, the defendant raped the young son of a family friend in the child’s own home when he was supposed to be babysitting him. The defendant recorded six videos of his sexual abuse of the child, one of which was over four minutes long. The videos the defendant created depict him anally penetrating the child and performing oral sex on him. Those videos were subsequently distributed on the dark web.
The government believes the defendant has worked at afterschool programs in Brooklyn public schools, including a dance group for minor children operating out of a Brooklyn middle school. Anyone with information about sexual exploitation by the defendant should contact the FBI at RWarnerCase@fbi.gov.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Vincent Chiappini is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Ramel Warner
Age: 23
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-32