Ohio man accused of targeting single women to gain access to and rape their young children

LOVELAND, Ohio (TCN) -- A 52-year-old man faces up to nine centuries in prison for rape charges after allegedly targeting single women to sexually assault their young children.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers first announced an indictment against Keith Cruz in September, charging him with four counts of rape and six counts of gross sexual imposition after he allegedly sexually assaulted children ranging in age 4 to 9 years old. Powers alleges he would "gain access to his victims by having romantic relationships with their mothers or through temporary living situations."

According to a June 26 news release from Loveland Police and the Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Cruz now faces a total of 72 counts out of Clermont County, including 36 counts of forceful rape against a child under the age of 13, as well as gross sexual imposition and sexual battery against the same child, pandering in sexually oriented matter involving a minor, and pandering in obscenity involving a minor. If convicted, Cruz faces up to 900 years to life in prison just on the rape charges alone.

Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Tekulve said Cruz was "clearly targeting single women who had young girls and boys of whom he would be able to take advantage." He also said Cruz did "not discriminate between gender; his only qualifications were that it be a child."

Cruz remains held in the Hamilton County Jail on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in August.

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