Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

Tallahassee, Florida - Justin Luis Ruiz, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "The production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material are horrific crimes that rob the most vulnerable members of our society of their innocence, and re-victimize those exploited children each and every time the videos and images of their abuse are shared. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend this despicable defendant, and I am proud that my office's successful prosecution will ensure he spends the next 15 years behind federal bars where he belongs."

Court documents reflect that a 2024 investigation by the Rapid City (South Dakota) Police Department uncovered that the defendant had solicited a minor to send him nude photographs depicting child pornography. Further investigation, including law enforcement's search of a Tallahassee residence, identified the defendant had communicated online with known and unknown persons, many of them minors, and exchanged child pornography with those individuals.

"The vile sexual exploitation of children by these predators leaves lifelong scars on children who should never be subjected to corruption," said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. This sentence is a measure of accountability for the harm he caused and a warning to others who solicit, trade, or possess child sexual abuse material. HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue these offenders relentlessly, across jurisdictions and online platforms, until they are brought to justice."

Upon release from prison, Ruiz will be on supervised release for the rest of life.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department and the Rapid City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks 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. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.