Pennsylvania man charged with traveling to New Jersey for sex with minor girl

PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania man was charged April 4 with crossing state lines to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. The charge is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Ramy Ahmed, 30, of Allentown, Pa., was charged with committing the offense, believing he was communicating with a man who was offering his 8-year-old daughter for sex. In reality, Ahmed was in touch with HSI special agents, who arrested him April 2 when he traveled to Cherry Hill, N.J. If convicted, Ahmed faces up to a life in federal prison. He is currently being held in federal custody without bail.

According to court documents, HSI special agents discovered an online posting on craigslist, "Looking for pervy dads for incest-m4m-30 (Lehigh Valley)." Agents subsequently began communicating via the Internet and cell phone text with the individual, later identified as Ahmed. During this time, Ahmed sent the undercover HSI special agent images of child pornography and allegedly communicated to the "father" he would bring additional child pornography when they met in New Jersey.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact HSI Philadelphia at 215-717-4987.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE 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, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.