CINCINNATI — A Loveland man was indicted Wednesday for multiple rape and sexual imposition charges involving young children, Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers said.
Keith Cruz, 52, was indicted on four counts of rape and six counts of gross sexual imposition. If he's convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Powers said Cruz sexually assaulted multiple children between the ages of 4 and 9 from 2011-2015.
According to the indictment, Cruz would access his victims by dating their mothers or through temporary living situations.
"This man followed a very specific pattern of behavior," Powers said. "We believe he was targeting single mothers to gain access to their children."
The Loveland Police Department said they don't have information on whether there are other victims, but they want to do everything they can to help identify other victims.
Anyone with information regarding Cruz, or if he had interactions with your children, is asked to call Loveland police Detective Jesse Moore at 513-774-3009.
Christy Burch, CEO of the Ion Center for Violence Prevention, said the accusations against Cruz remind her of why domestic and sexual violence victim resource groups like hers are so important.
"When I hear things like this, and this is something I hear every day, I am grounded by the reality that so many people are hurt by violence," Burch said.
She said the prosecutor's assertion that Cruz would target mothers for romantic relationships to gain access to the children wasn't surprising.
"93% of people under the age of 18, children under the age of 18, know their attacker, know someone who sexually assaulted them," Burch said.
Burch said with the potential for additional victims, parents should be supportive of their children if they come forward with accusations.
"If you've got a child that has disclosed to you and it's your kid you want to believe them first off, and you want to thank them," she said. "'Thank you for telling me. I believe you. This isn't your fault, and we can figure out how to get help and support together."
Burch pointed to the Ion Center, the Mayerson Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and the Northern Kentucky Children's Advocacy Center as ideal places to start for people who've been victimized.
