UPDATE: Ruggiero Case more from court yesterday

As more info comes to light, it looks like we are still following this case...as BM1 Ruggiero could still make bail. I would like to point out that I had a typo in my update yesterday. I stated that bail was set at $2,500 which was incorrect...I left off a '0'. The actual bail (which is reported below also) was set at $25,000. I apologize for that little slip!


Link to original

Former USCG member arraigned

By Karen Dandurant

kdandurant@seacoastonline.com

September 08, 2008 11:57 AM

BRENTWOOD — A former New Hampshire based member of the U.S. Coast Guard, who jumped bail before being sentenced on domestic violence related charges, was arraigned in Rockingham Superior Court on Monday, Sept. 8.

Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Ruggiero, 38, assigned to Coast Guard Sector Charleston S.C., was taken into custody last week and was returned to New Hampshire on Friday, Sept. 5. He was convicted on April 30 of three misdemeanor charges, sending obscene matter, criminal threatening and violation of a restraining order.

After being released on bail pending a sentencing hearing, Ruggiero failed to show up for a sentencing hearing on June 28. He was sentenced in Exeter District Court to three years in prison, with one year deferred for two years of good behavior.

"He was arraigned this morning on a bail jumping charge and Judge Tina Nadeau set bail at $25,000 cash or surety bond," said Rockingham County Attornaey Jim Reams. "He was brought back to the state by U.S. Marshals on Friday. If he makes bail he is out and will have to come back in November for a trial on the original charges. As of now he is still in Rockingham County Jail."

Reams said a warrant for Ruggiero's arrest was issued through his office after Ruggiero failed to appear. The original charges came out of East Kingston and Reams said Ruggiero had filed an appeal.

Officers from the Sheriff’s office of Georgetown County, with the cooperation of the U.S. Coast Guard, made the arrest last week based on the New Hampshire warrant.

It will be up to the court to decide if Ruggiero’s appeal is still valid, based on his fleeing the state.

"If the appeal is not accepted or if it is deemed waived because of his fleeing the state, he will have to serve the sentence imposed," said Deputy County Attorney Tom Reid in an earlier interview.

Lt. Matt Moorlag, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard said they have been and will remain in full cooperation with New Hampshire authorities. He also said the Coast Guard is looking at several administrative complaints against Ruggiero that could result in his being dismissed from the Coast Guard.

Link to original

There was also more information posted over at An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog; which will clear up a little of what BM1 Ruggiero's lawyer stated in court yesterday as to what the CG was promising and what they had done. Apparently the Coast Guard was not present in the courtroom, they were not requested to present anything to the court, nor did they make any promises to the court or the lawyer representing BM1 Ruggiero. So the lawyer pretty much just said what he thought sounded good....well that is what is sounds like to me.

Also, to clear up the remarks about the service member being reported AWOL....yep I thought that sounded a little more on the side of falsehood than truth.

Seems that there should be someway for someone to bring these things into the view of the court, so that they can see that by being convinced into setting bail (AGAIN) that they just had the wool pulled over their eyes and that any appeals should not be entertained.

He did what he did, was convicted, now serve the time; plain, straightforward and to the point.

This is a case of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Yes, it appears that the waters were muddied there for a bit about what was going on with the Coast Guard and all that. But, from the get go this has been about one person harming and threatening to harm another, plain and simple. Now rather than facing what he has done BM1 Ruggiero gets his lawyer to throw it even further than what the real issue is, by going into court and making excuses.