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April 12, 2012

Man jailed for posing as federal sex crimes investigator

By Jo-Anne MacKenzie jmackenzie@eagletribune.com

SALEM, N.H. — A Haverhill, Mass., man turned himself in to police yesterday for an unusual incident that occurred in February.

John Ruth, 48, first posed as a teenage girl online and convinced a 25-year-old man to meet him in a parking lot on Feb. 12.

When the man showed up, Ruth blocked his vehicle in with his car, said he was a federal sex crimes task force member and frisked him.

Ruth took the man's money clip and car keys, saying he need to check his ID. He finally returned the man's belongings and told him he could leave. It was only after the victim left the scene that he realized Ruth had taken $146 from his money clip, Deputy police Chief Shawn Patten said.

Ruth faces two felony charges — unarmed robbery and false personation — and a single charge of false imprisonment.

A warrant was issued for Ruth's arrest in February, but he eluded police until yesterday, when he showed up at the station.

Ruth was arraigned in 10th Circuit Court yesterday and has been jailed since for lack of $25,000 cash bail.

His alleged victim has not been charged with a crime, Patten said.

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