A California father who was arrested final week after authorities mentioned that they had found greater than 900 pictures of kid intercourse abuse was additionally accused in 2018 of getting “a number of hundred” related pictures — however he has evaded prosecution due to an alleged laptop glitch, a legislation enforcement official mentioned.
Ryan Rovito, 34, of Redding, is accused of felony possession of kid pornography and surreptitious recording after his spouse turned over to police a digital camera she discovered hidden within the couple’s visitor lavatory and a tough drive.
In 2018, his earlier spouse additionally went to authorities and reported that he had images of “prepubescent juveniles” on his laptop, mentioned Sgt. Rob Garnero, a Redding police spokesperson.
That case acquired misplaced in a brand new software program system and did not make it to the Shasta County District Lawyer’s Workplace till November, a spokesperson for the DA’s workplace mentioned.
The software program “had some errors when it launched,” Garnero mentioned, including that the police division’s information division made a notice in its inside software program in December that the earlier case had been misplaced.
When police filed the present case in opposition to Rovito, they discovered the sooner one — “and that is once we found that case had by no means been utterly found when routed,” Garnero mentioned.
Ryan Rovito didn’t reply to a number of makes an attempt to ask him for remark. His lawyer, Timothy Prentiss, mentioned Rovito maintains his innocence.
“From his perspective, he’s able to problem these allegations, and we’d choose to do this within the authorized system,” Prentiss mentioned.
Prentiss mentioned he was not accustomed to the 2018 allegations.
Statute of limitations
Police mentioned there was a three-year statute of limitations on the 2018 case, which had expired by the point the glitch was found. However the Shasta County DA’s workplace mentioned Thursday that the case falls below a 10-year restrict.
“We’re going to must do some additional investigation to evaluation the case earlier than we make any submitting selections,” a spokesperson for the DA mentioned.
Rovito’s ex-wife, who made the 2018 report, couldn’t be reached for remark by telephone or e mail Thursday. Courtroom information present she filed for divorce in April 2019.
His present spouse, Victoria Rovito, mentioned that if officers had prosecuted him in 2018, her household’s life may by no means have been “flipped the wrong way up and shattered.”
“I perceive that errors occur, however these items can’t fall by means of the cracks,” Victoria Rovito, 33, mentioned in an unique interview this week. “It might’ve been someone’s life. It might’ve been a number of peoples’ lives.”
She mentioned that she did not know concerning the earlier allegations till police instructed her this month and that she has since shared them with the Nationwide Guard, with which she mentioned Rovito has served.
A spokesperson for the Nationwide Guard directed inquiries to a spokesperson for the California Nationwide Guard, who didn’t instantly reply to questions Thursday.
‘This case didn’t appear fathomable’
When Victoria and Ryan Rovito met in 2021, he appeared like the best accomplice: He acquired alongside effectively along with her son, who’s now 3, and “would actually do something for me,” she mentioned. They married lower than a 12 months later, she mentioned, tying the knot in February 2022, they usually welcomed a daughter seven months in the past.
“It simply appeared image excellent,” she mentioned.

So when she discovered a digital camera hidden within the visitor lavatory of their house in Redding, about 160 miles north of Sacramento, and was later instructed by authorities that he was alleged to have had a whole bunch of kid intercourse abuse pictures on his onerous drive, she was in “absolute shock.”
“This case didn’t appear fathomable to me previous to this,” she mentioned.
Redding police mentioned that when Victoria Rovito first discovered the digital camera and confronted her husband, Ryan Rovito “vowed to take away and discard it.”
She found he had not thrown it away as promised, and on March 8, she gave police the digital camera and the onerous drive, “fearing Mr. Rovito had nefariously recorded their younger youngsters utilizing the lavatory,” the police division has mentioned.
Authorities mentioned they carried out a forensic evaluation of the units and located a whole bunch of intercourse abuse images and a number of movies. Garnero mentioned Wednesday that the police division continues to be reviewing units from Ryan Rovito’s residence.
Police have mentioned movies obtained from the digital camera “confirmed youngsters and adults utilizing the lavatory who didn’t seem to know they have been being recorded.”
Rovito was taken into custody March 16, throughout a site visitors cease, on expenses associated to the felony possession of kid pornography and the surreptitious recording of an identifiable one who was undressed.
He posted $25,000 bail the day he was arrested, Garnero mentioned.
If he’s convicted, Rovito might face 16 months to eight years in jail, mentioned Garnero, who added that he may be sentenced to probation and required to register as a intercourse offender for all times as a substitute of going through jail time.
Rovito might additionally resist a 12 months in county jail on the surreptitious recording cost, which is a misdemeanor below California legislation, Garnero mentioned. However he added that “that state of affairs is unlikely as Rovito doesn’t have a prison historical past.”
He’s due in courtroom April 21, Garnero mentioned.
‘We’ve to guard our kids’
Victoria Rovito requested, and was granted, a brief restraining order in opposition to her husband the day after his arrest, courtroom paperwork present.
She is concentrated on rebuilding her household’s future: “I really feel like our lives have been torn aside,” she mentioned.
A GoFundMe marketing campaign arrange by a buddy says cash raised will go towards dwelling bills and authorized charges: “By doing what was proper she finally is left with numerous wants,” it says.
Within the meantime, Rovito hopes that by sharing her story, she will be able to present others methods to shield their youngsters in situations of kid intercourse abuse.
“As soon as I spotted what was happening, I did not need it to occur to anybody else, and that was my driving issue,” she mentioned.
Younger victims
About 25% of ladies and 1 in 13 boys within the U.S. expertise sexual abuse, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. In additional than 90% of these circumstances, the perpetrators are recognized and trusted by the kids and their households, in accordance with the CDC.
“That may very well be a member of the family, prolonged household, a coach or physician — somebody who does not elevate any flags to be in proximity to the kid,” mentioned Scott Berkowitz, the president and founding father of the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community, an anti-sexual violence group higher generally known as RAINN.
Berkowitz mentioned it is essential to show children to alert trusted adults in the event that they expertise intercourse abuse. Adults ought to take a “security first” strategy by eradicating youngsters from proximity to perpetrators, listening to their psychological wants and alerting related authorities if that is an choice, Berkowitz mentioned.
Victoria Rovito agrees: “We’ve to guard our kids. They cannot shield themselves,” she mentioned.
When you or somebody you recognize has been sexually assaulted, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Phone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, run by the Rape, Abuse & Incest Nationwide Community (RAINN), can put you involved together with your native rape disaster middle. You may also entry RAINN’s on-line chat service at https://www.rainn.org/get-help. Confidential chats can be found in English and in Spanish.