TAMPA, Fla. – Rugh James Cline, 40, Tampa, returned to the US from Cambodia for his first appearance after being charged in a federal indictment with five counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count of possessing child sex abuse materials.
If convicted, Cline faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for possessing child sex abuse materials.
Cline made his initial appearance in federal court on June 7, 2023, in Tampa.
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On Monday, a bond hearing was held, and Cline was released on GPS monitoring, home detention, and a $100,000 signature bond. Cline is also not allowed to have access to the internet or to minors while on home detention.
According to the indictment, in February and May 2019, Cline, a U.S. citizen and Florida-licensed attorney living in Tampa, traveled to Cambodia. While in Cambodia, he paid to engage in sexual conduct on multiple occasions with four minors.
The indictment also charges Cline with having traveled from Florida to Cambodia while knowingly possessing materials depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Department of State and the Cambodian National Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
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