OAKLAND – Javier Antonio Ramirez made his initial appearance today (Monday, Feb. 13, 2023) on a federal complaint charging him with receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.
According to the affidavit supporting the complaint, in January 2023, a student, identified in the complaint as “Minor Victim 1,” suffered from a suspected fentanyl overdose at a school in Contra Costa County. A school nurse administered multiple doses of Narcan to the minor victim in an attempt to save her life. When law enforcement officers arrived, the minor victim was conscious and was subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The complaint describes the investigation leading law enforcement officers to conclude Ramirez, a 28-year-old Concord, California resident, provided the fentanyl to the minor victim, including taking her to San Francisco to obtain fentanyl. Further, the complaint affidavit alleges that law enforcement reviewed Ramirez’s cell phone and that this search revealed multiple videos and images taken of him having sexual intercourse or engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor. As alleged in the complaint affidavit, on Ramirez’s cell phone, law enforcement also found other files containing child pornography, including a file Ramirez received on January 3, 2023, with an approximately nine-minute video depicting a child, approximately 6- to 8-years-old, being sexually exploited by an unidentified male.
Ramirez is charged with receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). Ramirez remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing set for February 16, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. before, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a statutory minimum of 5 years’ and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Ramirez also faces an additional term of supervised release, restitution, and additional financial assessments; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar of the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Leeya Kekona. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
“He drove her to SF to buy the fentanyl.” We have to do a better job of educating our children. This stuff is incredibly dangerous.
It is, Kat. We fear it really hasn’t hit us here, yet…
You might want to check that assumption with the local students. Presuming this to be the incident at Acalanes (although it could be anywhere, lets’ face it), I have a current student in the district. Fentanyl hit awhile ago. Do not underestimate the proliferation of opiates among local teens and college kids (I’ve got one of each).
Don’t believe this case had anything to do with the occurrence at Acalanes. And we’re not underestimating the proliferation of prescription drugs and opioids among local youth – quite the contrary.
We were probably referencing the latest, most lethal manifestation, which we believe has been seen in The City.
I read the criminal complaint. Why don’t you believe that it is related to the incident at Acalanes? The investigation started the exact same day as the incident at Acalanes.
With regard to teens and opiates, I am referring to kids knowingly taking counterfeit opiates cut with fentanyl.
Always ready to be surprised, SB. But thought it was tied to another recent case.
Tranq. It’s here. Thanks for writing ab out it News 24
They’ll just love him in the joint.
People love to say that, but where’s your proof? Most child molesters are kept segregated and serve out their terms without being harmed or killed. Better instead to release them to the victim’s father for “correction”.
What does it take for parents to get involved and start actually parenting their children? Most of these kids are neglected, broken, angry, and have no one to show them what’s wrong and what’s right. I see that hasn’t changed.
You don’t know these parents. You don’t know what it’s like to have a troubled child. Keep your judgemental comments to yourself.
This is horrible. It’s everywhere and getting worse.
A lot of parents still have their heads in the sand over this.
Sadly he was my ex, he put me through the same thing I was a minor at the time and then I became an adult but just hearing this makes me so upset for these ten ages because i was them at one point and it’s the worst feeling having a man take over you like that I would never wish that on anybody in this world drugs are the devil never ever let anybody bring you to that level of disappointment.