BENTONVILLE — A Bentonville man was sentenced to 84 years in prison Wednesday for possessing child pornography.
Westley Mac Ruiz, 35, previously pleaded guilty to 20 counts of distributing, possession or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a Class C felony. He was also charged as a habitual offender.
Ruiz pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement, so his punishment was up to Circuit Judge Robin Green. Ruiz was arrested Nov. 13, 2009.
The case initially was started by the Federal Bureau of Investigations after Ruiz, using the screen name “Preggylisa,” offered to share files with a person he didn’t know was an undercover FBI agent, according to court documents. Ruiz engaged in a Internet chat and shared child pornography with the agent.
The agent, using a peer-to-peer network, downloaded 112 images from Ruiz’s computer, according to court documents. Authorities traced the associated IP address and discovered Ruiz had used a neighbor’s unsecured wireless network to connect to the Internet, according to court documents.
Court documents show another undercover FBI agent had contact with Ruiz in an unrelated investigation. That agent downloaded 189 images of child pornography from Ruiz’s computer.
Bentonville police searched Ruiz’s home Oct. 29, 2009. Police collected two computer hard drives and numerous portable storage devices. Ruiz denied any knowledge concerning the allegations, according to court documents.
Ruiz was arrested several days later and admitted he possessed child pornography and used the screen name “Preggylisa.”
Green sentenced Ruiz to 84 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. He must serve 14 years before he will be eligible for parole. Ruiz must abide by a suspended sentence for 10 years after his release and must register as a sex offender.