Joseph Cruz-Santiago, a 32-year-old resident of Caguas, Puerto Rico, has been apprehended and charged with child exploitation crimes that shock the nation. United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, announced the arrest in a solemn statement.
Cruz-Santiago stands accused of using online messaging services and social media to coerce and entice two young girls, aged 11 and between 11-12 years old, into sexual activity. The defendant has also been charged with producing explicit images of these acts and transferring obscene material to the minors. His alleged activities spanned from December 2024 to February 2025.
According to court documents, Cruz-Santiago furthered his despicable actions by possessing child pornography, including images of prepubescent children under 12 years old, from July 13, 2024, until July 2, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasizes the urgent need to protect children from sexual predators like Cruz-Santiago.
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” Muldrow stated. Rebecca González-Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing education and vigilance among parents and trusted adults in the fight against online predators.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto, with the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force leading the investigation. If convicted of these heinous charges, Cruz-Santiago faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor.
For more information on how to protect children and report suspicious activities, visit Know2Protect.gov. The public is encouraged to call 787-729-6969 or email IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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