United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2009
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

DALLAS MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE

Child Pornography Discovered by Computer Repairman

DALLAS — Matthew D. Ruff, 29, of Dallas, has pleaded guilty to an Information charging receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul D. Stickney released Ruff on a personal recognizance bond, with conditions, including no contact with any minor children under the age of 18, without supervision, including but not limited to his residence, place of employment and public places where minors congregate.

According to the plea agreement, Ruff will receive a sentence of not less than 78 months or more than 97 months in federal prison, if the Court accepts the plea agreement. In addition, Ruff faces up to a lifetime of supervision and up to a $250,000 fine. He will be required to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to plea documents filed, on June 15, 2008, Ruff requested a computer repairman from Best Buy to come to his home to repair his computer. When the computer repairman analyzed the computer, he noticed a hard drive failure and told Ruff to take the computer back to the store. However, Ruff insisted that the repairman fix it there. When the computer repairman began copying the hard drive, he saw that Ruff was using Limewire file-sharing software and informed Ruff that the would have to scan Limewire for viruses and spyware. While he was scanning, he noticed that the computer was downloading numerous files indicative of child pornography. He also saw several files of child pornography located in other folders. After checking with his superiors to find out what to do, the repairman called the Dallas Police Department.

In mid-June 2008, the Dallas Police Department secured and executed a search warrant on Ruff’s residence and seized two computers and an external hard drive. An FBI investigation of the seized computers revealed that Ruff had more than 31 videos on his Dell and Hewlett Packard computers and external hard drive.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Dallas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille E. Sparks is in charge of the prosecution.

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