Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Production on TikTok

PORTLAND, Ore.—Juan Carlos Ramon, 33, of Portland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of production of child pornography after weaponizing the social media app musical.ly—now known as TikTok—to sexually exploit two young children, ages six and eight. Ramon used deception and manipulation to coerce the minors into sending increasingly graphic images of themselves, escalating a digital crime that left lasting scars on his victims.

Court documents reveal that on or about June 28, 2017, Ramon initiated contact with the minors through musical.ly under the alias “@lexithetiger,” posing as a teenage girl. Under the guise of a “Simon Says” game, he sent sexually explicit photos of a minor female and instructed the victims to replicate the poses and acts in their own self-produced images. The children, unaware they were being groomed, complied, sending a series of explicit photos that Ramon collected and saved.

The abuse might have continued undetected if not for a vigilant family member who discovered the disturbing digital trail and immediately alerted law enforcement. The evidence led investigators directly to Ramon, whose digital footprint matched the fraudulent account and revealed the full extent of his predatory behavior. The FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) took the lead, uncovering forensic proof that sealed the case.

Each count of production of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of 15 years, a $250,000 fine, a $5,000 special assessment, and a lifetime of supervised release with a mandatory minimum of five years. Ramon is scheduled to be sentenced on September 5, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones, who will determine his final punishment and restitution obligations.

As part of his plea agreement, Ramon has agreed to pay restitution to both victims identified by the government, with amounts to be determined by the court prior to sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Natalie Wight, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and investigated by the FBI’s CETF—a multi-agency unit comprising officers from the Beaverton, Portland, Tigard, and Hillsboro police departments, as well as the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual exploitation. The FBI urges anyone with information about the online or physical abuse of children to call (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at www.fbi.gov/tips. The predator may be one click away—but so is the tip that brings them down.

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