Federal Court

WASHINGTON — A Brandywine, Maryland, man was ordered detained pending trial Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in U.S. District Court on a federal charge alleging he sexually exploited a minor and produced child sexual abuse material, prosecutors said.

Daniel Ivan Cruz Ramirez, 28, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child stemming from an investigation that alleges he recorded explicit videos involving a 13-year-old girl. Authorities say the case began after he met the child at church services and later communicated with her outside that setting.

According to court documents, Cruz Ramirez first encountered the child when she was 12 and began sending her text messages, expressing romantic interest as she entered eighth grade. Investigators allege the sexual abuse occurred on multiple occasions throughout 2025 and included acts of sexual assault. Prosecutors say that on Nov. 17, 2025, he recorded several videos involving the child, including one lasting approximately 26 minutes.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said the case highlights the danger posed by individuals who exploit environments meant to protect children, adding that her office will pursue accountability using all available legal tools.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Kelley and Amanda Swanson as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide effort launched in 2006 to combat the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

The defendant was charged by criminal complaint on Jan. 13, 2026, and a magistrate judge ordered him held without bond following a detention hearing Thursday.


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