College Professor Charged In Connection With Rape, Sexual Assault, and Sexual Abuse Of Multiple Victims From El Salvador

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that JORGE ALBERTO RAMOS was arrested this morning and charged with inducing and transporting two victims to travel interstate to engage in unlawful sexual activity and with smuggling and harboring a third victim.  The Indictment unsealed today alleges that from at least in or about 2013 to in or about 2023, RAMOS transported and induced, enticed, and persuaded women to travel with promises of a better life, including educational and other opportunities, from El Salvador to the Bronx, New York, where he raped, sexually assaulted, and abused them.  RAMOS is expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott this afternoon.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, over the course of a decade, Jorge Alberto Ramos engaged in a scheme to rape, sexually assault, and sexually abuse multiple victims from El Salvador after inducing them to travel to the United States with promises of a better life.  Ramos preyed on vulnerable women and smuggled them to New York so that he could exploit their bodies for his own sexual gratification.  We thank and commend the courageous women who came forward to report Ramos.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo said: “This indictment sends a strong message that Homeland Security Investigations is committed to bringing predators who engage in deplorable acts of sexual, physical, and psychological violence against other individuals to justice.  As alleged, Jorge Alberto Ramos induced several women into traveling to the United States where he subjected them to repeated rape and sexual abuse at his hands.  HSI New York, along with our partners at the New York City Police Department and United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, will continue to uphold our mission to ensure our communities are safe for residents and visitors alike.”

NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “Mr. Ramos is alleged to have preyed on vulnerable women, bringing them to the United States with the promise of opportunity and then ruthlessly exploiting them under threat of deportation, not once but three times.  I am deeply gratified that the Southern District of New York and detectives from the Homeland Security Investigations/NYPD Human Trafficking Task Force have successfully investigated this case.”

If you believe you are a victim of rape, sexual assault, or sexual abuse perpetrated by JORGE RAMOS, please contact 866-347-2423 or sextrafficking_outreach@hsi.dhs.gov and reference this case.

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

Over the course of several years, between at least in or about 2013 and in or about 2023, JORGE ALBERTO RAMOS induced, enticed, and persuaded women with promises of a better life, including educational and other opportunities, to travel from El Salvador to the Bronx, New York, where he raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually abused them.  RAMOS groomed at least three women (“Victim-1,” “Victim-2,” and “Victim-3,” and together, the “Victims”) by expressing concern for them and their families and by sending them gifts and money.  RAMOS arranged for each of the Victims to be smuggled from El Salvador into the United States, including by paying fees for smugglers (or “coyotes”) to transport the Victims across the U.S. border.  RAMOS induced at least two of the Victims to travel from El Salvador to the Bronx so that RAMOS could force them to engage in unlawful sex acts with him on demand.

Once the Victims were transported to New York, RAMOS brought each of the Victims, respectively and at different times, to his residence in the Bronx (the “Ramos Residence”).  Once at the Ramos Residence, RAMOS raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually abused the Victims.  In or about 2016, RAMOS raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually abused Victim-1 on the first day he brought Victim-1 to the Ramos Residence, and RAMOS continued to do so for several weeks until Victim-1 fled from RAMOS.  In or about 2017, RAMOS raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually abused Victim-2 on the first day he brought Victim-2 to the Ramos Residence, and RAMOS continued to do so for approximately one month until Victim-2 fled from RAMOS.  Between in or about 2013 and in or about 2014, RAMOS raped, sexually assaulted, and sexually abused Victim-3 on at least three occasions after bringing Victim-3 to the Ramos Residence.  While the Victims stayed at the Ramos Residence, RAMOS attempted to control the Victims by, among other things, ordering the Victims to stay inside the Ramos Residence, attempting to isolate the Victims from other people, and threatening to report the Victims to immigration officials for deportation back to El Salvador. 

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RAMOS, 43, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with two counts of inducement to travel to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of transportation to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to engage in human smuggling and one count of human smuggling, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of harboring an alien, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. 

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth A. Espinosa, Emily A. Johnson, and Jane Kim are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.