A federal grand jury has indicted Cyril Domaquik Clemens, a 71-year-old U.S. citizen originally from Liberia, on charges of naturalization fraud. The indictment alleges that Clemens made false statements regarding his criminal history during the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship.
Court documents state that Clemens is accused of knowingly providing false answers under penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during an interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Specifically, he denied involvement in any sexual offenses or unreported crimes when questioned by immigration officials. Clemens became a naturalized citizen on February 19, 2021.
On April 3, 2023, Clemens pleaded guilty in Durham County Superior Court to three counts of indecent liberties with a child. He received a prison sentence ranging from 16 to 29 months and was ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the court records, Clemens admitted to sexually abusing a child over more than ten years, beginning when the victim was four years old. His arrest occurred after he had already become a U.S. citizen, which meant immigration authorities were unaware of his actions at the time they granted him citizenship.
If convicted on all counts in the current indictment, Clemens could face up to 30 years in prison and would automatically lose his U.S. citizenship.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the charges against Clemens: “ICE ERO officers and HSI agents 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’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting the initiative.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.
Information related to this case can be found through the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or via PACER by searching Case No. 5:25-CR-151-FL-RN.
