Bay Area man accused of luring teen runaway to his home, raping her, and sexually exploiting her
Vacaville police said Michael Keith Rubino, 37, was arrested on charges including rape, human trafficking of a minor, and child pornography.
VACAVILLE, Calif. - A 37-year-old Vacaville man is behind bars, accused of luring a teenage runaway into his home, raping her, and exploiting her for sexual acts with his friends in return for money.
On Wednesday, Vacaville police announced the arrest of Michael Keith Rubino, who was the subject of a months-long investigation.
The backstory:
Investigators said that back in November, police were called to a hospital on a report of a sexual assault involving a juvenile.
Police said detectives learned that the victim, a teenage girl, had run away from her home. They said she had been on the streets for about two weeks when the suspect approached her and offered her food and shelter.
"Once at his house, Mr. Rubino reportedly threatened the girl with violence if she attempted to leave and began forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him," police said in a news release. "He also facilitated her engaging sexual acts with his friends and received payment for doing so."
Police said the teen reported that the suspect recorded many of the sexual acts and threatened to post the videos online to make money.
Search warrants
The Vacaville Police Department’s Crime Impact Team, along with its VICE unit, which has a focus on combating human trafficking, launched an investigation which included serving several search warrants at the suspect’s home on Overland Place near Rio Grande Drive.
"Though Mr. Rubino denied being involved in any of the alleged incidents, evidence collected from the warrants corroborated the girl’s statements, including videos discovered during forensic cellphone examinations," police said.
He was booked on charges including rape, human trafficking of a minor for commercial sex, and child pornography.
What we don't know:
It's unclear when the arrest took place.
Due to the nature of the charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office formerly adopted the case, police said, and Rubino was transferred from the Solano County Jail to Sacramento County Jail.
Federal case
U.S. Attorney Eric Grant said on Aug. 21, Rubino pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor.
"According to court documents, Rubino used his iPhone to record a video of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a 17-year-old girl who resided with him for approximately six weeks in late 2024," federal prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Rubino faced 15 to 30 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine.
He's scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, according to Public Information Officer Lauren Horwood of the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of California.
Federal officials said the case was the product of an investigation by Vacaville police with assistance from the FBI.
They said it was handled as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006, to crackdown on child sexual exploitation and abuse.
‘Thorough investigation’
Vacaville police applauded the efforts of their detectives who worked "to ensure a thorough investigation" was carried out in this case.
They also warned that sex crimes, including those involving children, happen more frequently than many may realize.
"Human trafficking and the production of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Assault Material (CSAM) are appalling crimes that are unfortunately, far more commonplace than many believe," police said, as they offered resources for victims.
If you believe you're being trafficked, if you know someone who is, or have information to share, police urge you to call or text the Solano County Human Trafficking Crisis Line at 530-796-1889.
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