A Tucson federal grand jury indicted Juan Antonio Ruiz, 47, for naturalization fraud last Tuesday. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona has accused Ruiz of lying on his citizenship application and during his naturalization process. According to official court documents by U.S. Attorney's Office, Ruiz falsely answered "no" when asked if he had ever committed a crime for which he was not arrested.
Back in 2015, Ruiz took his oath as a U.S. citizen, allegedly withholding information about his criminal conduct. It was not until three years later that Ruiz found himself under arrest for sexual offenses involving a minor that date back to before he became a citizen. With details obtained from the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement, these offenses were committed between 2003 and 2008, a period during which Ruiz had not yet been naturalized.
In 2021, Ruiz pled guilty in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County, acknowledging his crimes against children. Although an indictment does not suggest guilt, it brings charges against individuals supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. The case, numbered CR-25-01502-AMM-EJM, outlines the charges of sexual conduct with a minor and attempted molestation of a child.
If convicted for naturalization fraud, Ruiz faces severe consequences, which include up to 10 years in prison, a hefty fine that may reach $250,000, and the potential revocation of his citizenship. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sydney Yew, as mentioned by Public Affairs contact Esther J. Winne, is poised to manage the prosecution for this case, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation surrounding Ruiz's case was spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations. For any further information regarding this unfolding story, the public has been directed to reach out to the Public Affairs Office as per their release, with Esther J. Winne ready to field inquiries at (602) 514-7740.
