Federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday, July 31, that they have charged a 23-year-old Haverstraw man with sexual exploitation and enticement of Bronx child and two other minors.

 

Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of the complaint on Wednesday, charging Oscar Lemus with sexual exploitation and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Prosecutors said Lemus was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court and was detained.

 

In the context of the charges, Williams said, “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As today’s arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have sexually exploited children.”

 

As alleged in the complaint, from at least on or about April 20, this year, up to and including April 23, Lemus, who used the screen name “lemus.xp,” met a 14-year-old minor on social media and persuaded her to meet him in Rockland County, New York, to engage in sexual activity.

 

On or about March 16, this year, Lemus had previously engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old minor in The Bronx and had video-recorded the sexual activity using a cellphone.

 

On or about Aug. 20, 2023, Lemus persuaded a 16-year-old minor in Mississippi to engage in sexual activity during a live video chat with him.

 

Anyone who may have encountered Lemus or whose child may have had any communications with him is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

 

Prosecutors said Lemus is charged with one count of enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. They said he is also charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

 

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

 

Williams praised what he described as the efforts of the FBI, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department in connection with the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is leading the prosecution.

 

Lemus is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.