Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Offenses

Tallahassee, Florida - Justin Luis Ruiz, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court 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 plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This case exemplified the threats our kids face online from sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them. Parents must be made aware of these emergent threats to their children, so that they can closely monitor their kids' access to and use of online platforms to keep them safe. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these predators for their disgusting crimes as we do our part to keep our kids safe online."

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

Ruiz faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years' imprisonment and up to 30 years' imprisonment for production of child pornography, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years' imprisonment and up to 20 years' imprisonment for each count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and up to 20 years' imprisonment for possession of child pornography. Upon release from prison, he will serve a minimum mandatory term of 5 years on supervised release, and up to a lifetime of supervision.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

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 and led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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 https://www.projectsafechildhood.govLinks 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..

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.