Police began investigating Ruehle after one of the victims, now an adult, in April 2018 told staff at her school that Ruehle had been sexually abusing her since she was 10. In September 2019 the second victim said that he, too, had been sexually abused by Ruehle from a young age. The children’s mother did not believe the incidents happened, according to a release from Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr.
“This defendant has a long history of sexually assaulting people, including these children — even before they moved to Montgomery County,” Heck said. “Thankfully, when the disclosure was made to school staff, they promptly reported it to law enforcement. During Child Abuse Prevention Month, this case is a good example of the positive results that can be obtained when our agencies work cooperatively to protect children. These children bravely coming forward, even if they were failed by their mother’s inaction, ensures this defendant can never hurt them or any other children again.”
In addition to his prison sentence, Ruehle was designated a Tier III sexual offender, the most serious classification. If released from prison, this would require him to register his address every 30 days with his local sheriff’s office for the rest of his life.
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