AUSTIN, TX – Jonathan Ruiz-Correa, 29, of Austin, is facing serious federal charges after allegedly grooming and sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl through online platforms. The arrest, made Wednesday, exposes a calculated scheme where Ruiz-Correa allegedly posed as a 17-year-old named “Lucas” to gain the victim’s trust.
Court documents detail how Ruiz-Correa initiated contact with the girl on Snapchat in May, quickly escalating to sexually suggestive conversations. He allegedly knew the victim’s age and actively solicited sexually explicit videos, which she ultimately sent. The depravity didn’t stop there; Ruiz-Correa allegedly discussed paying for the girl to travel out of state to meet him, backing up his words with two payments sent via PayPal. Chats also continued on Instagram, broadening the scope of his predatory behavior.
The scheme began to unravel when the minor victim, suspicious of Ruiz-Correa’s claims, reached out to one of his female Instagram followers. The follower revealed Ruiz-Correa had attempted similar contact with her, and even shared a video found on a dating app profile that exposed his true age. This crucial information alerted the victim to the deception, triggering a chain of events that led to federal intervention.
FBI agents, investigating the case, seized Ruiz-Correa’s mobile phone, uncovering a sexually explicit video of the victim. The phone also contained a video allegedly depicting sexual activity with another minor, whom Ruiz-Correa reportedly met in Houston back in January. This discovery suggests a pattern of predatory behavior extending beyond this single case, painting a disturbing portrait of a serial exploiter.
Ruiz-Correa is now charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of engaging in activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography. A conviction on the exploitation charge carries a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison, while the second count could add another five to 20 years behind bars. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, taking into account U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced the charges, emphasizing that this case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. The FBI is leading the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Devlin handling the prosecution. It’s a grim reminder of the dangers lurking online and the tireless work of law enforcement to protect vulnerable children. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related Federal Cases
- TX Predator Sassine Gets 78 Months for Online Exploitation · Colorado
- Edinburg Predator Sentenced for Port Neches Park Child Enticement · Texas
- Beaumont Predator Griffith Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography · Texas
- MS-13 Gang Member Nabbed in Virginia After Multiple Deportations · Washington
- Child Support Scammers Mark Simpson and Stuart Cole Jailed · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
