Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 10 years for sex abuse of two minors

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man convicted in August of sexually abusing two minors was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison.

Markus Clyde Ruiz, 29, previously pleaded to third-degree sexual abuse. His other two charges of second-degree sexual abuse were dismissed at sentencing, as part of his plea agreement.

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Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson sentenced Ruiz to 10 years in prison. The judge also ordered Ruiz to comply with notification requirements of the sex offender registry and be on a special sentence of parole for the rest of his life.

According to a criminal complaint, Markus Ruiz sexually abused a 13-year-old over the course of a month in March 2021 and sexually abused another girl under the age of 12 in March and April of 2022.

The child under 12 appears by court documents to be the same victim abused by his brother, Bryan Brady Ruiz, 28, also convicted of sexual abuse. Neither brother is related to the child.

Markus Ruiz’s sentencing was delayed because, after his plea hearing, a judge mistakenly released him to the supervision of the 6th District Department of Correctional Services, which allowed him get out of jail and report to probation within 24 hours. His conviction for third-degree sexual abuse was a forcible felony at that time of the incident, and Markus Ruiz should have remained in jail pending his sentencing.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Jason Besler on Sept. 21 corrected the error and ordered Markus Ruiz to remain in jail pending sentencing. A warrant was issued for his arrest the same day, according to court documents.

The department couldn’t contact Markus Ruiz in August because his phone number wasn’t in service and he failed to comply with pretrial release, a presentence investigator said in a notice filed Tuesday. A presentencing investigator also couldn’t locate him to conduct the sentencing report.

However, Markus Ruiz was arrested and returned to jail last week, according to court documents.

His brother, Bryan Ruiz, previously pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree sexual abuse. He sexually assaulted the child, under age 12, from Aug. 1 through Nov. 22, 2020. He would email the girl on her school email account. He also sent her explicit photos of himself and videos and encouraged her to watch pornography, the complaint stated.

Bryan Ruiz originally was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, enticing a child under age 13 for sexual abuse or exploitation, lascivious acts with a child, indecent exposure and dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to a minor. The remaining sex abuse and the other charges will be dismissed at sentencing as part of the plea agreement.

His sentencing is set for Dec. 19.

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