A California man is facing child pornography charges after his wife found a hidden camera inside his home and turned him in to police — and it wasn’t the first time his wife had turned him in to police.
Ryan Rovito, 34, is charged with felony possession of child pornography and surreptitious recording and was arrested on March 16.
His current wife, Victoria Rovito, contacted the authorities after she found a hidden camera in the guest bathroom that contained more than 900 images of sexual abuse. She handed them over along with the hard drive to the police.
Rovito’s first wife, whose name has not been released but had filed for divorce in April 2019, first went to police in 2018 after discovering photos of “young tweens” on her then-husband’s computer, Redding said. PIO Sargent Rob Garnero. nbc news.
But, when new software was installed at the police department, a glitch in the computer caused “some errors” when it started and was not charged.
When the police filed the current case against Rovito, they discovered the 2018 case report made by Rovito’s first wife.
Ryan Rovito, 34, is charged with felony possession of child pornography and surreptitious recording and was arrested on March 16.
A family photo taken in September 2022
The couple, Ryan and Victoria Rovito, smile after enjoying a flight over Shasta Lake on November 29, 2021.
A spokesperson for the Shasta County district attorney’s office told NBC News the case got lost in a new software system and did not reach the Shasta County district attorney’s office until November, a spokesperson for the Shasta County district attorney said. the district attorney’s office.
According to police, there was a three-year statute of limitations on the 2018 case, which had expired when the computer glitch was discovered.
But on Thursday, the Shasta County prosecutor’s office said the case is limited to 10 years.
A spokesman for the DA said that “they would have to do a deeper investigation to review the case before we make decisions on the filing.”
Ryan’s attorney, Timothy Prentiss, told the news outlet that his client maintains his innocence.
“From his perspective, he is ready to challenge these allegations and we would prefer to do it in the legal system,” Prentiss said.
Prentiss said he was not familiar with them when asked about the 2018 allegations by his clients.
Victoria, 33, who is seen smiling alongside Ryan in a February 2022 photo before their wedding, shares a daughter with him and has a young son from a previous relationship.
The mother-of-two said she had no idea about the 2018 allegations against her husband until police told her this month. She went to the National Guard to let them know since Rovito had served.
She told the news outlet that if officials had prosecuted him in 2018, her family’s life would never have been “turned upside down and shattered.”
“I understand that mistakes happen, but these things cannot go unnoticed,” he said. It could have been someone’s life. It could have been the lives of several people.
An undated photo of the couple outdoors. Ryan Rovito’s next court date is scheduled for April 21.
A photo of Ryan Rovito in his National Guard uniform
Victoria Rovito said she had no idea about the previous allegations about her husband until police told her this month.
Victoria said she had no idea about the previous allegations about her husband until police notified her this month.
Then he reported Rovito, a member of the National Guard, to the National Guard,
The father of two was arrested at a traffic stop on March 16. He posted $25,000 bail, Garnero told NBC News.
The police spokesman said Ryan could also face up to a year in county jail on the surreptitious recording charge, a misdemeanor under California law.
But, he said, “that scenario is unlikely since Rovito has no criminal record.”
If convicted, he could face 16 months to eight years in prison, he said, but he may also be sentenced to probation and required to register as a sex offender for life instead of facing prison time.
His next scheduled court date is April 21, according to the PIO.
TO GoFundMe has been created by her friend Betsy to help the mother in need who ‘doing the right thing is ultimately left with a lot of needs’.
“My dear friend, faced with one of the most challenging chapters in her story after discovering a hidden camera in the guest bathroom and turning evidence over to the police, is now left with a world turned upside down,” she wrote, in part. .
The money raised from these donations will go towards living expenses and help her stabilize and get back on her feet. I am attaching the news article below which outlines the details of the situation.
As a community, far and wide, I ask that you unite around this incredible courageous wife and mother.
How much has he done at his expense to protect his children and anyone who may be a victim of this circumstance.
As of Saturday afternoon, more than $6,700 had been raised toward their goal of $15,000.