Born to Pietro Felice and Luisa Villa in Alatri, Cerica attended the Conti-Gentili Lyceum in his native town and later entered a military academy.

Due to exceptional merit, he received the rank of brigadier general on June 19 that year, becoming the chief of Carabinieri forces in Italian East Africa.

Cerica was posted back to Italy, attained the rank of Divisional General on 22 June 1942 and was made commander of the 4th Carabinieri Podgora Detachment.

Cerica organized Mussolini's arrest after his interview with King Victor Emmanuel III in Villa Savoia, on 25 July, and directed his forces to prevent riots in the capital.

[2][3] On 9 September, a day after the Badoglio Proclamation prompted the Germans to invade Italy, Cerica led a battalion of cadets in battle against the enemy on the Via Ostiensis, and was defeated.