Lies, half-truths, and misconceptions: The saga continues

by Peter Stinson on 08 September 2008 · 82 comments

in News

UPDATE 17 July 2009: There have been some developments in this case; please see this post. Comments are closed.
I really thought this was all past us, and we could just move on. Sadly, real life isn’t like that.

Petty Officer Jeffrey Ruggiero was arraigned in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Karen Dandurant reported in Seacostonline:

“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.”

What caused the judge to set bail? Perhaps it was comments made by Petty Officer Ruggiero’s attorney, comments in which he evidently made a number of assertions. Among these assertions:

  • That the Coast Guard would not allow Petty Officer Ruggiero to attend the June 28 hearing.
  • That the Coast Guard would take full responsibility for Petty Officer Ruggiero.
  • That the Coast Guard had been monitoring Petty Officer Ruggiero “24/7″ and would guarantee he remains on base and under the Coast Guard’s control.

These assertions are interesting based on two facts.

First, while representatives have assured the public that the service “has been monitoring this matter and fully cooperating with the New Hampshire State authorities throughout the process,” Petty Officer Ruggiero was arrested by members of the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office. Members of the Sheriff’s office have stated that the Petty Officer Ruggiero was arrested at a private residence, not at a Coast Guard facility, and that the arrest was conducted with absolutely no assistance from the Coast Guard.

Second, while a Military Protective Order was issued against Petty Officer Ruggiero, he was not confined, detained, or otherwise ensured he would not leave the State of South Carolina. His movement was not, in any way, restricted.

A legal officer with the Seventh Coast Guard District wrote, in an email to Petty Officer Ruggiero’s wife, today:

The Coast Guard was not present at the hearing. The Coast Guard was not consulted or requested to provide information to the court. Further, the Coast Guard did not make any guarantees to the court or defense attorney. The statements made by the defense attorney were his and did not represent the USCG in anyway.

The statement that the USCG would treat the member as AWOL if he attended the hearing is false. The member would have taken earned leave to attend the hearing and thus would not be AWOL.

I guess it helps to have an attorney…  And, I guess we’ll be tracking this case a little bit longer than we thought.

Tagged as: Domestic Violence

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{ 82 comments }

Anonymous November 29, 2008 at 13:39

Is he still going to serve the 2, or 3 year sentence that was imposed before, or was that dropped? Understand you not wanting him to know where your at, but update when you can if the divorce goes through, and stuff. Take care.

Anonymous December 11, 2008 at 22:05

So whatever became of the whole Ruggiero story? I find it odd that after months and months of scrutiny that the whole entire situation was just dropped… very odd…

K December 19, 2008 at 22:14

Update.. As of today BM1 Jeffrey Ruggiero has lost his right to operate a motor vehicle in all 50 states due to his failure to pay child support. So I am hoping that when he drills the USCG would take action and not allow him to drive onto base.
To promote any form of action/behavior by a dead beat parent I feel is beyond dishonorable.
set a side Jeffrey and my problems with each other…. I still take care and provide for our daughter and he does not. What type of honorable person denies support for their own child?? Again he did this to his two children from his first marriage. hence his chronic reoccuring dishonorable pattern

Anonymous December 27, 2008 at 23:50

Is he holding out hope that ” K ” is going to take him back? I don’t think so! According to reports he’s already got a fiance there in South Carolina. So why does he continue not to want to go through with the divorce? Is he trying to avoid something if it goes through?

Anonymous December 28, 2008 at 01:50

http://www.victimsofwarathome.com has updated info on the situation

Anonymous December 30, 2008 at 10:06

Why is the victims website down again? It seems its up a few days, then down again. Is it to post more info, or is it being taken off all together for the victims safety?

K January 7, 2009 at 21:18

Can someone tell me why the USCG is soooo will to accept crimes comitted by their members? Especially those who fail to support or care for their children?

Anonymous January 14, 2009 at 18:12

Nothing for weeks. Why? Is the case over? As much as “K” wants him to step up and pay child support, he hasn’t according what’s been online, and he stated he wanted to waive the support, in paperwork “K” posted online. Your better off cutting all ties, as sad, or terrible as that sounds, it might be better.

Anonymous January 15, 2009 at 01:35

Why continue to allow posts on this subject, when noone wants to post the truth about how BM1 Ruggiero is a dead beat parent and still employed by the USCG.
Is it not exciting enough?

Anonymous January 16, 2009 at 13:41

I second the last post! What is wrong with the Coast Guard to allow someone like this to be a reservist? Are they desperate for people? If so, that’s terrible to keep someone like him, who is a dead beat parent, and a piece of crap! There is facts backing up not only what he’s done to his family that want nothing to do with him, but what he’s done while he’s been in the CG, this is ridiculous!!!

Anonymous January 17, 2009 at 09:49

So have you been granted a divorce yet?

Kay January 18, 2009 at 23:23

No divorce yet. Last week BM1 Ruggiero and his fiance Jean Backus turned family court into an episode of Jerry Springer. The judge however did grant me monies to cover the excess of court costs BM1 Ruggiero has cost me because of his continuous failures to provide the paperwork the courts been waiting for 8 months for.
He also submitted bogus coast guard pay checks which he caught red handed comitting fraud upon the court

Anonymous January 19, 2009 at 10:27

What is the delay with the divorce? What is the problem with the court that they can’t see your better off with out him? I mean he’s supposedly already engaged to that Jean Backus, their obviously made for each other. What person would accept a proposal from a man who doesn’t want to divorce his present wife? Hhmmmmmm…..

Anonymous January 20, 2009 at 10:29

He has a fiance, does not want a divorce, she is standing by his side. Is she as messed up as he his?

Anonymous January 20, 2009 at 22:49

This Jean Backus is obviously got some issues to accept a proposal from a guy that doesn’t want to divorce his current wife. In addition, its been posted that she has children, what on earth would provoke her to introduce her children to this guy who has a rap sheet of domestic abuse, but also has lost his first two children from his first marriage, and looks well on the way to losing the rights to his 3rd child. As sad as it might be, the children are better off, but its disgusting what he’s done to them and the people that were once family and friends in his life. This Jean girl needs help too!!!

Kay January 21, 2009 at 00:14

I can promise you I have filed every motion of compel and motions for contempt. $ 77,000 to date is what I have spent trying to get divorced. He makes up one excuse after the next regarding the reasons why he failed to submit dicovery, interogatorries, financials. One after the next. He uses his position with the USCG for reasons why he cannot attend court hearings. The whole record is in the Brentwood Family NH .. You can see it yourself
I think he is grasping at straws and trying to make my life miserable.
Jean Backus has 2 kids who she has subjected to harm because she allowed a wanted fuguitive, highly publized, abuser and maniac (BM1) to live with her
A man who lot rights of his 2 children from his first marriage, disregarded the needs of his 3 child and is a danger to women and children
I have no respect for women and/or men who should know better. She is 37 and there is just no excuse

Anonymous January 21, 2009 at 12:30

What does his financial status have to do with you being able to divorce him? Not familiar with NH family law. He has no excuse,not even the Coast Guard. He’s only a reservist, one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Can you petition for him to give up his parental rights to your child. I know your daughter is owed that money, but do you think you’ll get it? he already tried to waive the support before. He only cares about himself, he’s made that very clear. Him not paying support, his abuse, his criminal acts, him not taking a active role in the child’s life seem to be grounds for losing his parental rights. So when will you find out if the divorce will go through?

Anonymous January 22, 2009 at 11:39

In what court does this all take place, if he’s in SC?

Anonymous January 27, 2009 at 20:46

Ruggieros past is catching up to him. Thats why he stays in his house 24/7. Its just a matter of time before hes cheek to cheek with the law abiding servants of the united states of america. justice is right around the next bend waiting patiently for his arrival

Anonymous January 27, 2009 at 23:34

What’s next for this case?

Anonymous February 3, 2009 at 23:55

Has this guy tried to change his last name (AKA-Reiss), since now everyone knows who he is, and what he’s done?

Anonymous February 4, 2009 at 03:46

reiss is his mothers maiden name

Anonymous February 4, 2009 at 23:11

So is he going by that now? Seen the last name next to his first name online, not Ruggiero. Why is it taking so long for this divorce to be granted? There must be some other issues. “K” has mentioned she’s been seeking it for awhile, and with all his wrong doing, you think it would be more cut and dry, but seems not to be.

Anonymous February 6, 2009 at 00:50

Where is he listed as Jeff Reiss?

Anonymous February 6, 2009 at 10:11

Its listed as Jeff Ruggiero (Reiss) in the peoplesearch directory. And also shows his age and state of residence. Even if he really didn’t change his name, for them to put his mother’s maiden name is a stretch, since males don’t take their mother’s name typically. However, nothing about this has been typical. Interested in someone addressing why the divorce has taken so long, makes no since why it would?

Anonymous February 15, 2009 at 17:34

All blogs and other online sites need to come down in regards to Jeff Ruggiero. Nothing new has happened in quite awhile, and questions are never answered, when posted on sites. As sorry as it is, his daughter will not see a dime of child support. Kristin is better off to cut all ties and any suits against him, and start her life over, (if she hasn’t already). Do what his first wife did, and get him to give up his parental rights. He hasn’t been involved in her life anyway, right?Let him live his forever miserable life, and deal with having nobody that cares for him around. This story is expired, and we all need to move on.

Anonymous February 28, 2009 at 13:39

If Kristen has not been granted a divorce yet, there must be some other reason why, that’s not being told. No judge would continue to have them married to each other with everything he’s done, and not done as well.

Peter A. Stinson March 16, 2009 at 10:47

I received the following information today:

This past Friday, March 13th, Jeffrey Ruggiero, terminated all of his parental rights to his daughter Meghan Ruggiero at the Brentwood Family Court, and the divorce between Jeffrey and Kristin is now final.

Anonymous March 16, 2009 at 22:11

Congrats to Kristen! Even though her child is better off, its still very sad. When she’s old enough,(along with the other two kids), they’ll see why this was what was best for them,and their mothers. He’s messed up, what man does that to three kids. Oh that’s right, a REAL MAN doesn’t. Jeff,get yourself some help.

Yeah Right May 12, 2010 at 19:24

All charges against Jeffrey Ruggiero were dismissed last summer.

Kristin Ruggiero now resides in Rockingham Department of Corrections. She was convicted by a jury on 5/7/10 of 13 counts (12 felony + 1 misdemeanor) for crimes committed against her ex-husband. The judge called her a pathological liar!

Yeah Right May 28, 2010 at 21:31

Mr. Stinson,
Your above 10/2/08 comment says “member’s wife is okay, but is keeping a low profile”. We all know now that she had a warrant for her arrest in NH at that time so it wasn’t her ex-husband that she was actually hiding from, now was it? She currently resides in Rockingham County Department of Corrections for 12 felony convictions & is facing 3 & 1/2 – 7 years for each one at her 7/1/10 sentencing hearing. Her ex was cleared of all charges last summer & is now a Chief in the Coast Guard. She, on the other hand, still has to face a different trial in MA for an additional 1 felony + 3 misdemeanors. Are you ever going to admit that you were wrong? No one blames you for falling victim to her lies, but one wonders why you continue to leave her lies posted on your blogs. Even the judge called her a pathological liar. Is there some other reason why you continue to disrespect this man? Time to take it like a man, Mr. Stinson, and admit when you were wrong!

Ryan Erickson May 28, 2010 at 22:40

Thank you for this update Shipmate; we’re now closing this post of further comments as it’s been resolved and “Chief” has been cleared of all charges. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me.

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