Child Molester in North Carolina Indicted and Arrested for Naturalization Fraud
Could face up to 30 years in prison and denaturalization
RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a pivotal role in the investigation leading to a federal grand jury indictment of a child molester in North Carolina.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Daniel P. Bubar announced that Cyril Domaquik Clemens, 71, a U.S. citizen born in Liberia, has been charged with naturalization fraud. The indictment alleges that Clemens lied about his criminal conduct on his application to obtain U.S. citizenship with USCIS. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as well as the automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship.
According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Clemens is alleged to have knowingly and materially made false statements under penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with USCIS. In response to the questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…forcing or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” and “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” he answered “No.” Clemens took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on Feb. 19, 2021.
On April 3, 2023, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Durham County, Clemens pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent liberties with a child. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. Clemens confessed to having sexually molested the child for more than a decade, from Nov. 1, 2011, through March 7, 2022. The victim was four years old when the abuse began. Clemens was not arrested until after he had naturalized, so immigration officials were unaware of his crimes when they granted him citizenship.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations agents and Enforcement and Removal Operations officers assigned to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. USCIS’ Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting the initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Protecting the integrity of the immigration process is a priority for USCIS. To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form.
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