A disgraced former cop from Arcola, Hector Aaron Ruiz, entered a guilty plea to kidnapping and accusations of non-consensual sexual activity with a woman during a traffic stop in 2019. The ex-officer, who had initially stopped the 26-year-old Pasadena woman around 2 a.m. on Nov. 16, coerced her to follow him to a Fort Bend County subdivision where the incident occurred, as per court documents cited by the Houston Chronicle.
This plea surfaces following his previous trial where, also during a traffic stop, a Fort Bend woman charged him with rape; although he was acquitted of that accusation, he was found guilty of meddling with evidence related to the case. Attempts made to connect with Ruiz's lead defense attorney, Javier Martinez, were unsuccessful as the Houston Chronicle reported, the woman involved in the November incident expressed in her May testimony that the assault resulted in anxiety, acute PTSD and sleepless nights, her life sentiments mirrored in her words, "I don’t like getting in a car or going nowhere."
The case has now escalated to involve federal prosecutors, with Ruiz facing several charges, including aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping after Click2Houston reported that U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick detailed these allegations. If found guilty, Ruiz could be sentenced to life in prison for his crimes and he faces additional charges for using a firearm in a crime of violence, as well as charges for falsifying evidence intended to obstruct the federal investigation, which could lead to a separate 20-year sentence.
Ruiz's official misconduct spans back to his 14 months on the Arcola police force, previously, he was a reserve officer for six months, during which he admitted to part of the allegations when interrogated by Fort Bend County officials, the narrative was picked up by reports from Click2Houston; he is expected to attend a federal court hearing Monday and authorities, wary of potential additional victims, urge anyone with information to contact the FBI. Law enforcement officers, with a cautious eye towards the scope of these transgressions, are appealing to the public for any unnoticed survivors to step forth, dialing the FBI’s hotline.
