A New York man allegedly raped a 7-year-old boy he was supposed to be babysitting and posted multiple videos of the sexual assault on the dark web.
Ramel Warner, 23, was arrested and charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child for the alleged rape on Jan. 29, the day after he was indicted by a grand jury, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said in a news release following his arrest.
Warner, who is also known by the nickname Menah, allegedly raped the boy, the son of a family friend, in the child’s home while he was babysitting him in 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Office.
He “recorded six videos of his sexual abuse of the child, one of which was over four minutes long,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The videos, which depicted Warner “anally penetrating the child and performing oral sex on him,” were then distributed on the dark web.
In the past, Warner had close access to children in schools and afterschool programs in Brooklyn, according to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office. At the time of his arrest, he was involved in a dance group for minor children, which operated out of a middle school in Brooklyn, the FBI said.
The FBI’s New York Office believes there may be additional victims in Warner’s case. They, along with the NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, are currently searching for additional victims.
The New York FBI and NYPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Feb. 22.
In a statement provided to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, James E. Dennehy, the FBI Assistant Director in Charge, said, in part, “Warner’s alleged actions are unconscionable, and we believe there may be more victims.”
“We ask anyone with information regarding his actions to please come forward so that we can further investigate and aid his victims,” Dennehy continued. “The FBI is committed to ensuring the safety of children and holding their abusers accountable in the criminal justice system.”
Following his January arrest, Warner was detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years.
