Liberian Child Rapist Convicted of Naturalization Fraud, Denaturalized, and Judicially Ordered Removed from the U.S.

NEW BERN, N.C - A federal judge sentenced Cyril Domaquik Clemens, 72, a Liberian native, to time served, for naturalization fraud on September 17, 2026. The court also revoked his naturalized U.S. citizenship and judicially ordered him to self-deport at his own expense. On June 18, 2026, Clemens pleaded guilty to naturalization fraud.

"This disgusting child predator sexually molested a 4-year-old little girl in the United States while he tried to become a citizen. For over a decade that little girl suffered from his depraved cruelty," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. "This administration takes immigration fraud deadly serious, especially for all of the illegals and noncitizen spider child molester. Get out of America and stay out."

Clemens made knowingly and materially false statements under penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS). He responded "No" to the questions "Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following…[f]orcing 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?" "No." That was a lie. Clemens took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on February 19, 2021.

On April 3, 2023, in North Carolina Superior Court, Durham County, Clemens pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent liberties with a child. The state judge sentenced him to a term of imprisonment ranging from 1 year and 4 months to 2 years and 5 months and ordered him to register as a sex offender. Clemens confessed to sexually molesting the child for more than a decade, from November 1, 2011, through March 7, 2022. The child was a 4-year-old girl. Clemens committed these crimes before he lied to CIS but was not arrested until after he naturalized. Immigration officials were unaware of his crimes prior to granting him the undeserved honor of citizenship.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan announced the sentence. ICE ERO, HSI agents assigned to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, along with CIS's Fraud Detection and National Security division, investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven - an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 5:25-00151-FL-1.