Full Notification

Case #: SMPD24-0013520
The Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) Detective Bureau's Special Victims Unit recently received a criminal cyber tip involving a Santa Maria resident suspected of purchasing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography, through an online platform.

Following an in-depth investigation, Special Victims Unit Detectives identified the suspect as 38-year-old Santa Maria resident Victorino Hernandez-Ramirez. On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, SMPD Detectives executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Cameron Avenue in Santa Maria. As a result, Hernandez-Ramirez was taken into custody in connection with the case.

Hernandez-Ramirez was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on charges including possession of CSAM, selling and distributing CSAM, and sending harmful or obscene material with the intent to seduce a minor. His bail was set at $100,000. The case has been forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for further review.

The SMPD encourages parents and guardians to remain vigilant and closely monitor the online and social media activities of minors. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact our detectives at (805) 928-3781: Detective Ochoa at extension 2460, Detective Craven at extension 1610, or Detective McCorkle at extension 2453.

Resources for Parents and Guardians:

• California Department of Justice – Cyber Safety
• Department of Homeland Security – iGuardians
• U.S. Department of Justice – Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
• FBI – Protecting Your Kids