A warmer Thursday start with stray showers this afternoonFTC issues refunds of over $5M to Ring customers; are you eligible?
Mugshot of Juan Mateo Ruiz, 32. (Credit: Lee County Sheriff’s Office) A Fort Myers man was found guilty on Wednesday for having sexual relations with a child. Juan Mateo Ruiz, 32, was found guilty as charged with one count of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation. The jury returned the verdict shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday evening after a two-day trial. Ruiz faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Oct. 29. In early 2018, Ruiz met a child in Fort Myers after she left her school bus stop. He started a conversation with the girl, who is in middle school, according to the State Attorney’s Office of the 20th Judicial Circuit. He continued talking to her for several weeks and then invited the child to his home. He then had sexual relations with her on at least two occasions. A family member of the girl saw Ruiz kiss the child while they were both standing on a street. Then, the person told the child’s mother. Her mother contacted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Their Special Victims Unit investigated the case which at first was difficult as the man had never given the victim his name, per the release. The LCSO Office SVU detectives were able to uncover his name and identity through their investigation and he was arrested.