FBI Employee At Quantico Pleads Not Guilty To Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges

ALEXANDRIA, VA — An FBI employee from Stafford who worked at Quantico pleaded not guilty Tuesday to six federal charges involving child sexual abuse material, according to court records.

Cary Andre Rue appeared in person with his attorney, David Benowitz, before U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in federal court in Alexandria. Rue demanded a jury trial, and Brinkema set the trial for Sept. 2 at 10 a.m.

Rue remains in custody, according to court records. The court also entered a protective order, a discovery order and a waiver of speedy trial Tuesday. Attorneys have 30 days to file motions.

A federal grand jury indicted Rue on Thursday on two counts of advertisement for child sexual abuse material, one count of transportation of child sexual abuse material, one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, one count of receipt of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.

The indictment followed an April affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in support of a criminal complaint and arrest warrant.

Investigators began looking into Rue in September 2025 after Google submitted CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving an email account associated with him, according to the affidavit.

Investigators said the reports involved more than 50 files of suspected child sexual abuse material uploaded to Google Drive, according to the affidavit. Federal authorities later obtained a search warrant for files connected to the reports, the affidavit said.

Rue worked as a supervisory microbiologist for the FBI and held a top secret security clearance, according to the affidavit. He lived in Stafford and maintained an office at an FBI facility in Quantico.

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Federal agents executed search warrants April 8 at Rue’s Stafford residence, on his person and on electronic devices, according to the affidavit. The FBI seized more than 25 electronic devices, including an Android Galaxy S22 cellphone.

Investigators said the phone was associated with the same recovery number linked to the Google account cited in the CyberTipline reports, according to the affidavit.

A forensic review of the cellphone found thousands of images and videos depicting minors, including material involving sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the affidavit. Investigators also said the device contained files Google reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The indictment alleges that Rue advertised for child sexual abuse material on or about Oct. 29, 2025, and Nov. 4, 2025. It also alleges that from at least Feb. 15, 2025, through at least April 8, 2026, Rue knowingly transported and attempted to transport sexually explicit images and videos of minors uploaded to Google Drive accounts.

The indictment further alleges that Rue distributed and attempted to distribute child sexual abuse material from at least Dec. 27, 2024, through at least April 8, 2026. Prosecutors also charged him with receiving and attempting to receive child sexual abuse material from at least Nov. 23, 2023, through at least April 8, 2026.

The possession count alleges that Rue knowingly possessed sexually explicit videos and images of minors stored on the Android Galaxy S22 cellphone on or about April 8, 2026. The indictment alleges that at least one visual depiction involved a prepubescent minor and a minor younger than 12.

The indictment includes a forfeiture notice seeking the Android Galaxy S22 cellphone and any materials, proceeds or property connected to the charged offenses if Rue is convicted.

According to the affidavit, investigators found encrypted messaging applications on Rue’s phone. Authorities said Rue used those platforms to exchange child sexual abuse material and messages related to sexual abuse, including with users who purported to be minors.

The special agent wrote that a forensic review of Rue’s electronic devices was ongoing at the time the affidavit was filed.

In the discovery order entered Tuesday, Brinkema directed prosecutors to provide relevant statements, documents, records, reports and scientific test results to the defense. The order also sets deadlines for expert disclosures, Brady material, Jencks and Giglio material, and any notice of evidence prosecutors may seek to introduce under Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b).

Sources used: the linked Patch story for background and indictment details. (Patch) The arraignment update comes from the Tuesday court minutes, and the pretrial disclosure details come from the discovery order.