An Elyria man was indicted for bringing a 14-year-old girl from California to Ohio to engage in unlawful sexual activity, as well as child pornography charges.

Jeremy L. Cruz, 39, was indicted on one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography.

Cruz, between April 13 through April 18, 2019, knowingly transported a 14 year-old girl, in interstate commerce from California to Ohio, with the intent that such 14 year-old girl engage in sexual activity, according to the indictment.

The indictment also charges that  from on or about January 1, 2017 through on or about April 15, 2019, Cruz knowingly received visual depictions of a real minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The indictment also charges that from April 13 through April 18, 2019, Cruz did knowingly transported numerous visual depictions of  real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Cleveland and Los Angeles offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Avon Lake Police Department, Elyria Police Department, Sheffield Lake Police Department and Santa Maria (California) Police Department.  

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

On April 18, 2019, Jeremy L. Cruz, 39, of Elyria, was taken into custody by Cleveland Division FBI agents, and Sheffield and Avon Lake Police Department officers at a residence in Sheffield Lake, Ohio.

Santa Maria Police Department, in California, asked the public for assistance in a missing 14 year old juvenile case, she had been missing since April 15th.  Through initial investigative work, Santa Maria Police Department determined the missing juvenile had been communicating with an adult male she had met online, the adult male was soon identified as Jeremy Cruz of Elyria. 

On April 18th, at approximately 3:30am, law enforcement located Cruz at a family member’s residence in Sheffield Lake.  The missing juvenile was also present.  Cruz was placed into custody without incident and transported to the Sheffield Lake Police Department.  The juvenile female was reunited with her family in California.

Law enforcement conducted a digital forensic examination of Cruz’s cellular phone and discovered numerous photos of what is believed to be child pornography. 

Cruz has been held in local custody since April 18th and was transferred to federal custody this morning.  He has been charged with interstate transport of child pornography.  He will have his initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan D. Greenberg’s courtroom.

This case was investigated by the Santa Maria Police Department, FBI – Los Angeles Division, Sheffield Lake Police Department, Avon Lake Police Department, Elyria Police Department, Lorain Police Department and the Cleveland Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office – Northern District of Ohio.

A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.