The former boys basketball coach at Peoria High School made his first appearance in court Wednesday after a teenager came forward and told police the pair had engaged in sexual activity in his office at the school.
Daniel C. Ruffin, 41, was charged Monday with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, indecent solicitation of a child and grooming. Prosecutors say the charges involved a student who was 17 at the time.
Police officers reviewed texts between the two, showing explicit messages sent from Ruffin to the student, according to authorities. With the help of U.S. Marshals, Ruffin was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in Peoria.
On Wednesday, prosecutors said they planned to file a petition denying Ruffin pre-trial release, but also asked for a detention hearing to be continued until Friday. Ruffin will remain at the Peoria County Jail until that hearing.
It is the second arrest this month for Ruffin, who was placed on unpaid leave last week and then dismissed by the school district on Monday, Feb. 9.
On Feb. 2, he was arrested in connection with inappropriate text messages sent to a 16-year-old girl. He was charged with indecent solicitation of a child and grooming.
Peoria County Circuit Judge David Brown released him with conditions, such as GPS electronic monitoring, no contact with the victim, no unsupervised contact with minors not in his immediate family, and no communications via text or social media with minors not in his immediate family.
The Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office said the second teen came forward after Ruffin was arrested last week. Peoria police became aware of the second case on Feb. 5.
Peoria Public Schools spokesperson Marjorie Kauth said the district’s Board of Education dismissed Ruffin from his position Feb. 9 for reasons other than reduction in force. Peoria Public Schools had placed Ruffin on unpaid leave after the first arrest.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Richwoods High School announced Ruffin’s uncle, Ronald Ruffin, had resigned as the school’s varsity girls assistant basketball coach amid allegations of inappropriate conduct.
In a statement released Wednesday, the school district said that both Ruffins were no longer employed by Peoria Public Schools and the district was fully cooperating with law enforcement.
Peoria Public Schools said anyone seeking assistance can contact the counseling office at their school. The school district also encouraged anyone with information related to the two situations to come forward anonymously through their tip line by texting 847411 with the keyword PSD150Tip.
Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat said the district’s top priority would be to protect “the well-being and safety of our students.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Daniel Ruffin appears in court on new sex abuse charges involving student
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
