Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office, announced that Robert John Marone, 49, of Wilton Manors, FL, was arrested on Friday, July 16, 2010, at Miami International Airport to face charges in the Southern District of Florida.

A federal criminal complaint filed on April 7, 2010, charges Marone with taking custody and control of minors for the purpose of taking sexually explicit images of the minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251A(b). If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison.

On Friday, July 16, ICE special agents arrested Marone, a U.S. citizen, at Miami International Airport, after he arrived from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. According to the complaint, on March 6, 2010, Marone was arrested in the Dominican Republic for taking sexually explicit photographs of four minor children in Santo Domingo. Marone was deported by Dominican authorities to Miami and had his initial appearance in Miami before US Magistrate Judge William Turnoff yesterday, July 19, 2010. He remains in custody pending a pre-trial detention hearing, which is scheduled for July 22 at 10:00 am.

U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer stated, “This case confirms that Americans who seek to sexually exploit children cannot evade the reach of U.S. law by committing their crimes abroad. Thanks to the cooperation of the Dominican government, we have brought this predator to justice.”

ICE Special Agent in Charge in Miami Anthony V. Mangione said, “This case reveals the disturbing truth that some adults will go to great lengths to travel outside the United States to try to evade law enforcement and sexually exploit minors. ICE is committed to apprehending and presenting for prosecution cases that victimize our children. ICE will continue working with foreign law enforcement authorities to ensure that those who try to hurt children are identified, arrested and brought to justice.”

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in Fort Lauderdale and the ICE Attaché in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with instrumental assistance by the Dominican National Police and the Dominican Attorney General’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria K. Medetis.

A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.