A soldier on the Army’s “most-wanted list” for nine years was sentenced to 31 years in prison for crimes involving 19 victims, including children, officials said.
Staff Sgt. Ulises Moore-Ramirez, 48, pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse, extortion, production and possession of child sexual abuse material and desertion, according to an Army release. His crimes were committed in 2013 and 2014 and involved minors across the U.S. Between 2013 and 2014, Moore-Ramirez posed as a teenager and convinced minors across the U.S. to send him explicit photos.
Moore-Ramirez was scheduled to be arraigned in April 2015 but then deserted. He was in deserter status for nine years and put on the Army’s “most-wanted list.” In July 2024, he was arrested at the Mexican border and returned to military custody.
At his Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri court martial on Feb. 19, a military judge dishonorably discharged Moore-Ramirez and reduced him in rank to a private. Moore-Ramirez was a construction engineer assigned to the 1st Engineer Brigade.
Moore-Ramirez fled to Mexico to stay with family while evading U.S. law enforcement and in early 2024, he learned that Mexican authorities were searching for him, Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel, told Task & Purpose.
On July 18 2024, Mexican authorities found Moore-Ramirez hiding in a home near the U.S. border. He identified himself, was apprehended by Mexican law enforcement and returned to the border. Army officials were notified and took custody of Moore-Ramirez, according to McCaskill.
Moore-Ramirez will be imprisoned in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He will be required to register as a sex offender after he serves his 31-year sentence.
One parent in Sioux City, Iowa, had reported their child’s interactions to local law enforcement who then notified the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division once Moore-Ramirez was identified as an active-duty soldier.
The investigation involved agencies from across the country. Army CID officials seized digital devices, interviewed victims, and worked with social media companies to obtain his communications. In interviews with CID officials, Moore-Ramirez admitted to various offenses.
“The extraordinary strength and resilience of the survivors in this case meant that although justice was delayed because of the accused’s desertion, it was not denied,” said Capt. Matt Fine, a military prosecutor, with the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel.
UPDATE: (2/27/25): This story has been updated with information about how Moore-Ramirez was apprehended in Mexico.
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