ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Clarence Ransom, 52, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, appeared in federal court in Las Cruces today for arraignment on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, attempted production of child pornography, solicitation of child pornography, committing a federal offense as a registered sex offender, international parental kidnapping, and failure to report international travel as a sex offender.
A grand jury returned an indictment against Ransom on Jan. 15 charging these offenses. The indictment accuses Ransom of attempting to coerce and entice a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity in Doña Ana County, New Mexico between May 16, 2019 and May 25, 2019. The indictment also accuses Ransom of attempting to produce child pornography with the child.
According to a criminal complaint, Ransom was previously convicted in 1991 of engaging in unlawful sexual acts with a minor. He is required to register as a sex offender and must notify authorities in advance before traveling internationally. Ransom allegedly kidnapped two victims, who are his children, by taking them to Mexico when they should have been in their mother’s custody and without approval to travel outside the United States.
Mexican law enforcement arrested Ransom on Dec. 1, 2019 and later turned him over to U.S. authorities at the border. Ransom made an initial appearance in federal court in the District of Arizona on Dec. 5, 2019 before being transported to New Mexico.
Ransom is currently in custody pending trial. Indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI and Las Cruces Police Department investigated this case with assistance from law enforcement in Mexico. Assistant U.S Attorneys Tilli M. Villalobos, Mark A. Saltman and Dustin Segovia are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
