Federal agents are seeking the public’s assistance in tracking down an Indianapolis man wanted for allegedly sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl.
The FBI’s Indianapolis field office tweeted Wednesday afternoon that authorities are searching for Gustavo Cruz, 42, a federal fugitive who has been on the lam for a year after allegedly exploiting the young girl:
U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said in a statement that investigators are looking for Cruz after the 11-year-old told authorities the man sexually abused her for several years.
Investigators said they seized several electronic devices from Cruz’s residence that allegedly contained multiple child pornography videos depicting the suspect performing sex acts on the victim.
Investigators believe Cruz recorded some of the videos on his cell phone.
“Our children are among the most vulnerable members of our community, and we must protect them in any way we can,” said Grant Mendenhall, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “We will continue to work diligently with our partners to locate this individual to ensure no other children are victimized.”
Federal investigators made the public plea exactly one year after the girl reported the alleged abuse to authorities.
“One year ago, a very brave child came forward to tell police what Cruz did to her, and a team of skilled investigators found evidence to corroborate her account of repeated sexual violation,” Minkler said. “We will not stop seeking justice for this child.”
Authorities describe Cruz as a Hispanic male, 5’11’, weighing approximately 210 pounds, with brown eyes and dark hair. Investigators stated that the suspect is somewhere in the Midwest.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.