Ramon Zelaya, Child Pornography, New Jersey 2023

An Essex County, New Jersey, man faces serious charges after allegedly producing, receiving, and possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Ramon Zelaya, 36, of Newark, is charged by indictment with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. Zelaya was initially charged by complaint in April 2019.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, between August 20, 2018, and September 23, 2018, Zelaya used Instagram messages to entice, threaten, and coerce a minor into creating and sending him sexually explicit images and videos.

Zelaya also used multiple Facebook accounts to contact the victim’s parent and to send at least one nude image of the victim, as alleged in the indictment.

The charge of sexual exploitation of a child carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, and officers of the Union City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Nichelle Luster, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah A. Sulkowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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