Va. Ice Cream Shop Owner, Joseph Ruhren, Faces Charges For Sexually Abusing Boy
Ruhren is a former police officer
Updated: Wednesday, 14 Mar 2012, 11:46 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 14 Mar 2012, 11:44 PM EDT
By BOB BARNARD/myfoxdc
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/virginia/va-ice-cream-shop-owner-joseph-ruhren-faces-charges-for-sexually-abusing-boy-031412#ixzz1pNfo93Z1
DUMFRIES, Va. - A former small town northern Virginia police officer who now owns a popular ice cream shop in Dumfries, Va. is charged with sexually abusing a boy over a five-year period ending in 2001.
The alleged victim lives in Fredericksburg. The accused, 41-year-old Joseph Ruhren, is facing 23 criminal charges - including forcible sodomy and aggravated sexual battery.
Prince William County police say they first learned of these allegations during the summer of 2010 when a then-27-year-old man came to them alleging that he had been sexually abused by Ruhren between 1996 and 2001 when the accuser was 12 to 16 years old, and the accused was a police officer in the Town of Dumfries.
Without commenting about the allegations, a Dumfries police official told FOX 5 Ruhren worked as a patrol officer for the town from August, 1996 until he retired in April, 2004. That is when he opened Jo Jo's Original Softserve on Main Street in Dumfries.
"The ice cream there is so good," says longtime customer Leah Harris. "We always take the kids over there so they can goof off in the summer time and just enjoy the ice cream and the weather."
After asking us to leave the property, a man and woman who said they were related to Ruhren told us these were just allegations from 16 years ago and that "he's innocent, he didn't do it."
Ruhren was arrested in the Rappahannock jail where he was already behind bars for reportedly violating terms of his probation on fraud charges involving prescription drugs.
And though its owner is facing serious charges, Jo Jo's Original Softserve remains open for business.
Va. Ice Cream Shop Owner, Joseph Ruhren, Faces Charges For Sexually Abusing Boy: MyFoxDC.com