Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Javontae D. Rucker, 27, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between February 1, 2017, and March 31, 2017, while babysitting, Rucker took advantage of an infant in his care, and he used his cellphone to produce child pornography images and a video of the victim. Rucker also admitted to possessing over a thousand child pornography videos and images of other victims.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, composed of various law enforcement agencies, including the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne L. Rust is prosecuting the case.

Rucker is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 24. Rucker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.