A Vacaville man has entered a guilty plea to the charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. Michael Keith Rubino, 37, admitted to using his iPhone to produce a video in which he engaged in sexual acts with a 17-year-old girl who lived with him for a period of six weeks in late 2024. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, despite initially denying these actions to law enforcement officers, Rubino later reversed his claims in court, acknowledging his guilt.
The Vacaville Police Department, with help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigated the circumstances of the victim being admitted to a local hospital. This investigation led to Rubino's confession. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said, "Rubino faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine." The exact sentence will be decided by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on November 11, based on federal guidelines and other factors, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case was handled under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice program started in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case, resulting in the offender being brought to justice and efforts to identify and protect victims, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
