FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A man who authorities said worked as a nurse at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital appeared in Fort Lauderdale federal court Wednesday after his arrest on three federal child exploitation charges; FBI agents joined local law enforcement in raiding his Plantation home in May.
Federal authorities accuse Rami Rotlewicz, 34, of communicating online with undercover investigators posing as mothers, seeking to sexually abuse their daughters. He’s also accused of possessing more than 300 files of child sexual abuse material.
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Broward jail records show U.S. Marshals took him into custody on Tuesday.
A federal criminal complaint outlines a disturbing series of messages FBI agents said Rotlewicz sent the purported mothers.
An FBI special agent wrote that the investigation began in May 2023 after Rotlewicz, using the handle “noguys,” messaged the undercover investigator on the anonymous social media platform Whisper, after the investigator posted an ad that said, “How open free use is your family?”
Rotlewicz, authorities said, “replied with a stock photo of an infant’s mouth with the caption, ‘Very.’”
According to the complaint, the undercover investigator was posing as a foster mother of an 11-year-old girl.
“Have an adopted child already? Sadly you are in NY and I am in FL,” agents said Rotlewicz wrote, later saying he would “love to be a daddy figure” in the girl’s life.
Far from being a father figure to the young girl, however, agents allege that Rotlewicz sought to rape her. Authorities said a second investigator posed as the 11-year-old in a group chat on the messaging app Telegram that included the “mother.”
A special agent wrote that Rotlewicz, using the handle “Ram Rod,” sent a photo to the girl with the caption “I’m 33 and still wear Disney :)” as he worked to groom her. Authorities said he later discussed flying the girl and her mother to Fort Lauderdale.
“That would be so amazing,” agents said he told the undercover investigator. “Getting to cuddle with her an no (sic) just imagine it. The beaches down here are beautiful.”
According to the complaint, he later sent a photo of his penis.
Authorities said Rotlewicz stopped communicating with the investigators in June 2023, but re-initiated the conversation on April 2, having changed his Telegram handle to “Nite Nurse.”
The complaint states that the undercover investigator posing as the girl’s mother mentioned knowing “another foster mom down that way with a bit older daughter think 13,” living in Miami.
On April 20, Rotlewicz began chatting with who he thought was the “foster mom,” but who was actually a third undercover investigator, expressing interest in meeting her daughter, according to the complaint.
Rotlewicz, authorities said, began explaining sex acts he would perform on the girl after the “foster mother” said “she is 12 but more (like) 8 or 9 mentally.”
“Step one is for us to just meet :),” authorities said Rotlewicz told the investigator. Authorities said they arranged a May 2 meeting but Rotlewicz later asked to reschedule.
Rotlewicz would instead meet with law enforcement a few days later, the complaint states. The FBI confirmed on May 8 that it assisted the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Plantation Police Department in executing a search warrant at his home at 501 NW 108th Ave. that day.
Authorities said he waived his Miranda rights and “admitted to communicating” with the undercover investigators. According to the complaint, he “described to law enforcement how he has a vivid imagination” and said the chats were “fantasy.”
The complaint states that a search of Rotlewicz’s cellphone revealed a “large amount” of child sexual abuse material — 219 images and 85 videos — depicting boys and girls being raped or otherwise sexually abused.
One video he commented on approvingly in the messaging app Session depicted an “infant” victim, a special agent wrote.
Authorities said Rotlewicz also participated in a Session group chat related to bestiality. Some of the content exchanged also involved children, they said.
Rotlewicz remained held in the BSO Main Jail as of Thursday morning. He’s facing federal charges of receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.
Rotlewicz is scheduled for a pre-trial detention hearing on Tuesday and is set to be arraigned in Fort Lauderdale federal court on June 26, according to federal court records.
In a statement to Local 10 News Thursday, a spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System confirmed Rotlewicz is a former employee of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and called the allegations “deeply disturbing.”
“(O)ur thoughts are with those impacted and their families,” the spokesperson said in an email, later adding, “We want to assure our community that there is no evidence to suggest that any illegal activities occurred at our hospital.”
A spokesperson for the Hollywood Police Department said Thursday afternoon that Rotlewicz was not under investigation by that agency related to his employment at the hospital, which is located in the city’s Hollywood Hills neighborhood.
“However, if there is anyone who has concerns and would like to reach police, they can call 954-967-4636,” the spokesperson said.
Rotlewicz’s attorney, prominent Miami criminal defense lawyer Jude Faccidomo, released a statement to Local 10 News late Thursday morning.
“It is important to note two things. First, a criminal complaint is not evidence of anything. It is merely the government’s version that is yet to be challenged,” Faccidomo said in an email. “Second, even in the government’s allegations there is no indication of any interaction with minors. We very much look forward to fully vetting these allegations.”