Press Release
Christian Ruffin of Raleigh Indicted on Child Pornography Charges
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Raleigh man with nine counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, Christian Ruffin, 23, allegedly received at least nine images containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that on November 14, 2019, Ruffin was found to be in possession of digital media containing images and videos involving minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
If convicted, Ruffin would face a statutory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of up to 20 years per count. He also would face up to a lifetime of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national initiative, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Updated May 13, 2020
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
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