The Justice Department announced Monday that it has filed a civil denaturalization action in the District of Maryland against a naturalized citizen who was court-martialed over allegedly attempting to sexually abuse someone he believed was a minor.

Nicholas Eshun, a native of Ghana, was naturalized in 2013 through an expedited process that allows migrants who serve in the United States military to become citizens. He first enlisted in the military in 2011. 

Eshun served in the Marine Corps, but was dishonorably discharged after his court-martial in 2016 after serving for four and a half years, which is below the five-year service requirement for citizenship. 

“As alleged, this defendant betrayed the uniform, abused the trust of this nation, and targeted who he believed was a child,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Under strong leadership, this Department is using every lawful tool to protect the American people and to ensure that citizenship is not a shield for criminals who never deserved it in the first place. If you commit heinous crimes, you will be held accountable. This is how we make America safe again.”

Prosecutors alleged that Eshun in 2015 sent lewd messages to someone whom he believed to be a fourteen-year-old girl, and then allegedly attempted to sexually abuse her. However, he was actually communicating with an undercover officer with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. He was later convicted in a military trial.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.