Novato cop, a Rohnert Park resident, faces child pornography charges

A Novato police officer who lives in Rohnert Park is suspected of exchanging pornographic images and messages with a girl in Texas, Rohnert Park Public Safety Department investigators said.

Sonoma County prosecutors charged Michael Manuel Ramirez, 34, last week with felony possession of child pornography, using a minor for sex acts and a misdemeanor charge of child molestation, District Attorney’s Office officials said. He is out on bail.

Ramirez is suspected of exchanging sexual messages and images with the girl through a smartphone app called Kik over the course of several months, Sgt. Jeff Justice said. Justice declined to give the girl’s age but said she was younger than 13.

Ramirez has been a patrol officer with the Novato Police Department for about six years, Capt. Jamie Knox said. He was placed on administrative leave in May when Rohnert Park officers notified Novato about the investigation.

The Rohnert Park investigation began in April after a Texas computer crimes task force notified local police that they had traced pornographic messages to an IP address in Rohnert Park.

The girl’s parents had discovered the messages and contacted their local law enforcement agency in Texas. A Texas detective then continued the communication with Ramirez, pretending to be a girl, which helped them trace the suspect to Rohnert Park, Justice said.

In May, Rohnert Park detectives searched the man’s home, seizing several computers and phones. After examining the devices and other evidence they “determined that Ramirez was the one sending and received the messages,” Justice said.

Rohnert Park police handed the investigation to the District Attorney’s Office in December and prosecutors charged Ramirez on Dec. 29.

Ramirez’ next court hearing is Jan. 29, when he is expected to enter a plea. His attorney, Jane Gaskell, declined to discuss the case.

Novato police officials are assisting in the criminal case. Department officials have also launched an internal investigation into the allegations, a process done when employees are suspected of breaking the law on or off duty, Knox said.

“We have a duty to hold our employees accountable and we will do just that,” Knox said. “We are taking this matter seriously and we want to get to the bottom of this and take appropriate action,” Knox said.

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