A Silvis man was sentenced to 17 1/2 years in prison for Distribution of Child Pornography, Sale of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. Aaron Ruthey, 43, was sentenced to 210 months in prison on January 17, 2024, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Ruthey was ordered to pay $65,500 in restitution to nine victims. Ruthey pleaded guilty to the charges in June 2023 and has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 17, 2022. “This sentencing demonstrates the importance of collaboration between our state and federal partners in ensuring justice for and the safety of children in our community,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew.
At the sentencing hearing, the United States presented evidence that Ruthey was engaged in the advertisement and ultimate sale of an online collection of child pornography. Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow found that Ruthey sold child pornography but was also an active participant in the child pornography market and capitalized on this harm to the victims. Ruthey added commentary to two of the images, which increased the marketability and demand for the content. Included in the content Rughty sold were videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The statutory penalties for the distribution of child pornography are five to twenty years in prison; five to twenty years in prison for the sale of child pornography; and up to twenty years in prison for possession of child pornography. The penalties on each count include supervised release terms ranging from five years to life.
“The U.S. Secret Service remains committed to investigating and arresting individuals who sexually exploit children and transmit child sexual abuse material,” said Stephen S. Webster, Resident Agent in Charge, Springfield Resident Office, United States Secret Service. “We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to investigate and prosecute crimes against minors. These predators cause significant and long-lasting damage, and we are dedicated to holding them accountable.”
“When law enforcement agencies work together, bringing multiple resources to the table, it is a force multiplier. Combatting crimes against children often takes this kind of collaboration,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “FBI Springfield values the relationships we have with our law enforcement partners, because those relationships result in safer communities.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service, Moline Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew represented the federal government in the prosecution. This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. 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.
