North Port Man Guilty Of Child Sex Crimes

A federal jury in Florida has delivered a guilty verdict against Raul Colon-Ocasio, a 32-year-old North Port man accused of producing and possessing videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The conviction stems from an investigation that began in September 2022, when a mother reported her child missing and police discovered sexually explicit social media communications between Colon-Ocasio and the child.

According to court documents, Colon-Ocasio was communicating with the child online, and an FBI Task Force Officer assumed the child’s social media account to gather evidence against him. When Colon-Ocasio arrived to meet the child, he was met by police instead, and his cellphone was seized.

A subsequent forensic analysis of Colon-Ocasio’s cellphone revealed numerous videos he had produced of two minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Colon-Ocasio faces a maximum penalty of up to 70 years in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19, 2024. He was indicted on April 5, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

This conviction is 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. Since its inception, Project Safe Childhood has marshaled federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children.

Colon-Ocasio’s conviction serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of child sex abuse and the importance of continued efforts to combat this heinous crime. As the investigation into his crimes continues, the community remains vigilant in its pursuit of justice for the victims and their families.