Former officer pleads to porn
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Former Baton Rouge police Lt. Paul G. Ruiz pleaded guilty Monday to one count of distributing child pornography, a conviction that will send him to federal prison for at least five years.
U.S. District Judge Ralph E. Tyson did not immediately schedule a sentencing hearing for the 26-year department veteran.
Ruiz, a 48-year-old resident of Denham Springs, resigned in March, only weeks before he was charged in federal court.
Police Chief Jeff LeDuff said the case surprised him and other officers.
“From our side, he [Ruiz] did a good job,” LeDuff said. “We didn’t know about this other side.
“It’s very unfortunate that this happened,” LeDuff said. “It’s sad for everybody involved.”
Fred Crifasi, Ruiz’s attorney, said people should remember his client was not accused of having improper contact with any child.
“It [the case} is not about soliciting a juvenile or enticing a juvenile to do anything,” Crifasi said. “That’s not what this case is about.”
U.S. Attorney David Dugas said people also should remember: “It’s not a victimless crime.”
Dugas said children in more than a hundred images FBI agents and Dallas police seized from Ruiz’s computer “are victimized over and over” when those images are distributed over the Internet.
Ruiz admitted in court records that at least one of the images he sent last year to an Oklahoma FBI agent posing as a porn fan was that of a child under the age of 12.
Federal law requires Ruiz to receive a prison term of at least five years. The maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
“The significance [of that law] is the message that we want the public to get: It is a crime to distribute sexually explicit images of children,” Dugas said.
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I realize porn is everywhere and no one is immune to it. When Justin Berry came forth a few years ago, he exposed every walk of life as being involved; teachers, coaches, judges, lawyers, businessmen, and I think the worst of the bunch are the ones who are supposed to be protecting the children from this, the sex abuse counselors, who counsel them then take advantage of them. Delving into the subject further just leaves me to wonder where the poor children's parents are and how this is allowed to happen in the first place.
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I like nekkid girls as much as anybody- nekkidness is a Good Thing by gawd! However, there is no excuse for the exploitation of children and those who traffic in child porn are the lowest of the low. Throw the book at pedophiles.
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