Predatory offender pleads guilty in two child solicitation, sex cases
Ruben Michael Anthony Cortez / Minnesota Department of Corrections
(ABC 6 News) – Ruben Anthony Michael Cortez, 30, was sentenced to 153 months, or 12.75 years at the MN Correctional Facility in St. Cloud Oct. 9.
Cortez received the 153-month sentence for one of his guilty pleas to use of a minor in a sexual performance or pornographic work, and a 90-month sentence for the second plea.
The sentences will be served concurrently, or at the same time.
Cortez received 370 days’ credit for time already spent in jail while his Olmsted County court cases were pending.
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(ABC 6 News) – A Faribault County man pleaded guilty in two child criminal sexual conduct and solicitation cases in Olmsted County Court Thursday.
Ruben Anthony Michael Cortez, 30, originally faced charges of soliciting and carrying on a sexual relationship with a Byron teenager in 2022, as well as using a minor in a sexual performance or pornographic work.
Cortez, a previous predatory offender, was later charged with soliciting a South Dakota child under age 14, two counts of sexual communication with the child, and using a minor under age 14 in a sexual performance or pornographic work via phone.
On Aug. 3, 2023, Cortez pleaded guilty to two charges of using a minor in a sexual performance or pornographic work, one from each criminal case.
According to Cortez’s plea agreement, the remaining criminal sexual conduct and child solicitation charges will be dropped at sentencing.
His plea agreement states that the prosecution will ask for consecutive sentences for each crime, and will cap their request at 138 months, or about 11.5 years.
Cortez previously spent time at the Minnesota Dept. of Corrections after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography in Waseca County Court, in August of 2015, according to court records. Another charge of disseminating child pornography was dismissed.
Cortez was required to register as a sex offender as part of his plea deal, and to avoid contact with people of 18 and unrelated women of any age without the approval of the Department of Corrections, according to court records.
However, according to court documents, Cortez was accused of violating probation and he was re-sentenced to 15 months in prison at St. Cloud in 2018.
Cortez’s sentencing has not been scheduled in Olmsted County Court.