ICE Philadelphia sting leads to sentencing of child predator
PHILADELPHIA — A child predator was convicted and sentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison in December after an undercover sting operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Ramy Ahmed, a 32-year-old naturalized citizen from Egypt, was caught after HSI Philadelphia agents saw an illicit add he put up on Craigslist.com looking for a sexual encounter with a child and immediately intervened.
A special agent posed as a 43-year-old man with an 8-year-old daughter and began conversations with Ahmed. He and the undercover agent corresponded for months making plans for them to abuse the child. Ahmed also sent child pornography and was arrested with it on him when he eventually traveled from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, in April 2013 to engage in sex acts with the girl.
"Due to the foresight and diligence of HSI special agents, society will be safe from this predator for decades,” said John Kelleghan, HSI Philadelphia special agent in charge. “HSI will continue to pursue those who seek to do harm to the most vulnerable members of our society – our children.”
Ahmed was also fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $2,000 restitution, according to court documents.
This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.
HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
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