Maryland Man Remains Detained on Charges of Producing Child Pornography

            WASHINGTON – Daniel Ivan Cruz Ramirez, 28, of Brandywine, Maryland, was ordered detained pending trial today in U.S. District Court in connection with producing child pornography of a 13-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            On Jan. 13, 2026, Cruz Ramirez was charged by complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a child for producing a 26-minute video depicting his rape of the 13-year-old victim. At a Jan. 22, 2026, detention hearing, Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui detained Cruz Ramirez pending trial.

            “This case represents the ultimate nightmare for any parent,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “An individual who targets his victim at church, exploits a place meant to protect children – to prey on the most innocent and vulnerable. My office will use every tool available to bring to justice those who exploit our children.”

            According to court documents, Cruz Ramirez met the victim at church services when she was twelve-years-old. Cruz Ramirez began texting the victim and told her that he liked her on her first day of school in the eighth grade. Cruz Ramirez sexually abused the victim multiple times in 2025, including vaginally penetrating her. On Nov.17, 2025, Cruz Ramirez recorded a series of videos with the victim, including a 26-minute video depicting vaginal and oral penetration of the victim.

            This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Kelley and Amanda Swanson.

            This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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