DORAL, Fla. – An elderly man from Doral was arrested Tuesday on 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed Wednesday morning.
Authorities said the arrest of 73-year-old Idelfonso Ramirez Sanchez is the result of an extensive undercover operation aimed at combating the spread of illegal content in South Florida.
The FDLE’s Miami cyber-crime squad, in collaboration with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, launched an investigation in June that authorities said focused on identifying devices within the South Florida area sharing child sexual abuse material online.
The operation, which employed advanced cyber-tracking techniques, led them to a residence in Doral, according to an FDLE news release.
On Tuesday, a team of FDLE agents, analysts, and the Special Operations Team executed a search warrant at Ramirez Sanchez’s home, investigators said.
Authorities confirmed the search resulted in the seizure of multiple electronic devices suspected of being used to download and distribute illegal material. A preliminary forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed 570 files containing child sexual abuse material that was traced through Ramirez Sanchez’s IP address, according to investigators.
Detectives said some of the files included children as young as 2 to 8 years old performing sexual activity.
The news release stated Ramirez Sanchez was taken into custody and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Detention Center, where he faces 10 counts of possession of child sex abuse material.
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges as further forensic analysis is conducted on the seized devices.
Ramirez Sanchez was given a $25,000 bond after appearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer in court Wednesday.
FDLE officials said the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office played a critical role in the pre-arrest preparation and is currently overseeing the prosecution of the case.
As the investigation continues, FDLE officials urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their children’s online activities.
They encourage the public to visit the FDLE’s Secure Florida website for tips on internet safety and how to protect children from online predators by clicking here.