Houston Man Convicted Of Distribution And Possession Of Child Pornography

HOUSTON - Ivan Geovanni Ramirez, 29, has entered guilty pleas to distribution and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Ramirez was indicted in August 2013 and today admitted to both allegations as charged. 

Ramirez was arrested on March 5, 2013, following an investigation which revealed Ramirez was using peer-to-peer file sharing software to distribute child pornography over the Internet. 

In October 2012, an FBI special agent was able to download child pornography from Ramirez. Authorities obtained and executed a search warrant and seized his computer, among other items. Forensic analysis revealed 358 images and 112 videos containing child pornography which involved pre-pubescent females, some under the age of 12, engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult males.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes, who accepted the plea, has set sentencing for April 7, 2014, at which time he faces a minimum of five and up to 15 years for the distribution conviction as well as a maximum of 10 years for the possession of child pornography. Both convictions also carry a possible $250,000 fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Ramirez also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children. He will also have to register as a sex offender. Ramirez has been in custody since his arrest where he will remain pending that hearing.

This case, investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack, 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."