Shawn Brown, Child Porn Distribution, New Jersey 2024

Jersey City Man Gets 10 Years for Child Porn and US Citizenship Scam

A Jersey City man has been sentenced to 10 long years in the slammer for his sickening crimes against children and the US government. Ramy Mercado, 29, was handed down the sentence by Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court.

Mercado was previously charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of naturalization fraud. But it gets worse – he actually lied under oath to get US citizenship. The scumbag applied for and obtained US citizenship in June 2023, claiming he had committed no crimes.

But authorities got wind of his despicable acts and uncovered evidence of his wrongdoing. It turns out Mercado used his cell phone to transmit over 20 videos of child sex abuse, including infants and toddlers. He also used his phone to ask for sex with young children. That’s just disgusting.

The investigation was led by special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark represented the government in this case.

As part of his sentence, Mercado will also serve 15 years of supervised release. This guy’s got some serious time to think about his actions, and we hope he’s locked up tight for a long time.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the sentencing, and we’re glad to see some justice being served in this case. We can’t have people like Mercado running around, committing heinous crimes and then trying to cover it up.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

US News

Shawn Lemont McClain, Heroin Trafficking, Maryland 2023

Jul 29, 2021

US News

Duniel Gongora, Identity Theft Tax Fraud, Florida 2014

Apr 21, 2015

US News

Joel Galen Patton, Online Sexual Coercion, West Virginia 2024

Jul 31, 2025

US News

Francisco Soares, Impersonating Federal Agent, Massachusetts 2014

Dec 15, 2014