Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Corpus Christi Man Convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitted he distributed child pornography, announced U.S. Ryan K. Patrick.
In May 2016, authorities discovered that Randy Michael Ramirez was communicating with an undercover detective in Dallas and eventually sent a link which contained 76 videos of child pornography. Law enforcement seized a cellular telephone from Ramirez’s residence which resulted in the discovery of more than 80 images and 12 videos of child pornography. Many of the videos involved sexually explicit conduct with children as young as infants.
The court also heard today that upon his arrest, Ramirez attempted to hide a cellular telephone. Law enforcement was able to locate the device and a forensic analysis revealed an additional 120 images of child pornography.
Sentencing has been set before Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack on April 9, 2018. At that time, Ramirez faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Ramirez also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.
Ramirez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”