Defendant Convicted of Secretly Recording Undressed Minor

Prosecutors in DA Charme Allen’s Child Abuse Unit obtained a conviction today after a man secretly video-recorded a twelve-year-old girl before she got into the shower. Ruben Sanchez Montiel, 31, was convicted of Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. After the jury returned its verdict, Judge Steve Sword revoked Montiel’s bond and set the case for sentencing on April 21.

In a three-day trial, Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Russell and Ashley McDermott explained to the jury that on August 25, 2014, Montiel was living in Knoxville with his girlfriend and her twelve-year-old daughter. While his girlfriend was at work, Montiel asked the child if she was going to take a shower before bed. When she said that she was getting ready to take a shower, Montiel hid his cell phone in the only bathroom of the residence and started the video camera on the phone. As the victim was getting ready to take a shower, she noticed a light coming from the phone, found that the phone was recording her while undressed, and deleted the video. Knoxville Police Department Investigator Keith Johnson interviewed the victim and recovered the phone, and Internet Crimes Against Children forensic computer examiner Sergeant Scott Sheppard was able to recover the deleted video. Montiel fled to Illinois after police became involved and was later apprehended based on leads uncovered by Inv. Johnson.

“Those who prey upon children deserve to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said DA Charme Allen.”Luckily, the video was discovered before anyone else was able to view it.”

Especially Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor is a Class B felony that carries a punishment between eight and twelve years in prison. Because of the nature of the crime, Montiel will not be eligible for parole until he serves at least eighty-five percent of his sentence.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.