City firefighter accused of sex crimes

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This article was published 25/09/2017 (2945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 52-year-old Winnipeg firefighter has been charged with sexually assaulting two females — one a youth, one an adult — more than a decade ago and paying for sex with an underage woman in the past two years.

Manuel Vladimir Ruiz, 52, was arrested Friday and charged with two charges of child abuse sexual assault, sexual interference, obtaining sexual service from a person under 18 and luring a child.

Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Tammy Skrabek said police don’t usually release the occupation of an accused, but she said there’s a reason to do so in this case.

“During the course of his duties, he may have had access to children. That’s why we’re identifying where he worked,” Skrabek said Monday.

City spokeswoman Felicia Wiltshire said Ruiz has been removed from active duty.

“We take allegations of this nature very seriously. We are unable to discuss any other details at this time,” she said.

In addition to his role as a firefighter, Ruiz owned a jiu-jitsu studio at 80 Sherbrook St., Skrabek said.

The accused is also listed as the chief instructor at the Ronin Ryu School of Martial Arts at 1777 Portage Ave. No one at the school could be reached for comment.

The school’s website said Ruiz has been a firefighter for 24 years and holds a fourth-degree black belt in Bissett combat jiu-jitsu, a second-degree black belt in Sanuces Ryu jiu-jitsu, a black belt in Tai jitsu and H2H tactics, a third-degree black belt in arnis and sikaran, a black sash in kung fu, and a brown belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Ruiz also trained Winnipeg police officers in fighting tactics, operated the air force combat gym at 17 Wing for four years, trained band constables for a decade and provided bodyguard services for several dignitaries from 1995 to 2005.

“His victims made it clear he told all of them he was a firefighter and a jiu-jitsu instructor,” Skrabek said. “If there are other victims, we want them to notify police.”

The owner of another martial arts studio, who didn’t want to be identified, said the accused was a teacher there for about three months almost two years ago.

“I’m quite shocked,” he said.

“It was an adult program and we are at a community centre. There’s no place a person can go where there aren’t people around. His students liked him, but he only taught the first class and then he had his own students teach the class.

“He seemed like a nice guy to say hello to. I was pretty shocked to see the news.”

The police investigation began when a girl came forward with allegations that starting in November 2015, a man began paying for sexual services, which continued until recently, Skrabek said.

The man found the youth through an online advertisement for escort services, she said, adding police learned of two other victims during the investigation.

The man met a girl in 2001 and, after developing a relationship with her, he allegedly began sexually assaulting her at his martial arts studio, Skrabek said.

Another female said she was sexually assaulted by the accused elsewhere in the city between December 2005 and December 2006, Skrabek said. That woman was an adult at the time.

Ruiz remains in custody.

Police are asking anyone with more information about the case to call the counter-exploitation unit at 204-986-3464 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca