A Plant City man arrested during a recent online chat operation is now facing child pornography charges.
Christian Ramirez, 37, was one of 22 men arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office earlier this month during Operation Social Bust. Each of the 22 individuals attempted to engage in sexual activity with an undercover detective posing as an underage girl or boy on social media.
Ramirez was one of two registered sex offenders arrested during the operation. Ramirez, who believed he was talking to a 14-year-old online, drove to a location in Riverview on October 1 to meet up with the teen for sex.
After his arrest, detectives obtained a search warrant for Ramirez's cellphone. A total of 75 videos and pictures of child pornography were located on his phone. Eight of the images depicted male and female children under the age of five engaging in sexual acts. All of the children pictured are believed to be between the ages of three to 16 years old.
Ramirez, who had previously bonded out of jail, was located and arrested on Tuesday morning, October 20. He now faces an additional 75 charges for Possession of Child Pornography.
"As a father, I am disgusted by Christian Ramirez's actions. He is a perfect example of why we do these operations," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Some of these men repeatedly go online to prey on our children. This time, they just got caught. As parents, it is critical that we know who our children are talking to online and what websites they are visiting."
Another sex offender arrested during Operation Social Bust, Flor-Adam Cruz, is facing additional charges as well after detectives discovered he was engaging in sex with a 15-year-old girl reported missing in a nearby county. He met the girl on social media.
Additional details on Cruz's charges can be found here. Details on Operation Social Bust can be found here.
Christian Ramirez
- Age: 37
- Charges: Possession of Child Pornography
(75 Counts)
- Registered Sexual Offender