Trial starts in case of threatening text messages

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Kristin Ruggiero is charged with trying with trying to frame her ex-husband. Jarret Bencks

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April 27, 2010

By Jarret Bencks jbencks@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Tue Apr 27, 2010, 02:35 AM EDT

BRENTWOOD — A trial is under way for an East Kingston woman who prosecutors allege tried to frame her ex-husband, claiming he sent her threatening text messages.

On May 4, 2008, Kristin Ruggiero, 34, showed police threatening text messages she said were sent to her by her ex-husband, Jeffrey Ruggiero. Initially, the evidence appeared to back up her claim. After further investigation, police concluded the phone used to send the messages was being used by Kristin Ruggiero, prosecutors said.

During opening arguments yesterday, prosecutor Jerome Blanchard said the East Kingston woman did so in an effort to get her ex-husband thrown in jail and threaten his employment as a Coast Guard petty officer.

Jeffrey Ruggiero spent more than a week in jail before further police investigation revealed doubt he had sent the messages.

Kristin Ruggiero told East Kingston police she had received a dozen threatening text messages from her ex-husband on May 4, 2008. She told them the text messages stemmed from a court decision four days earlier, April 30, when Jeffrey Ruggiero was found guilty in Exeter District Court on charges of harassing her.

Some of the messages were laced with profanity, and others were clear threats. One read, "I plan to make good on my vows till death to us part." Another said, "You're gonna pay, whore."

The disposable cell phone was registered to Jeffrey (last name not given), with a date of birth matching Jeffrey Ruggiero's. The evidence appeared to be against him, but further investigation found Jeffrey Ruggiero could not possibly have made some of the calls on the phone's records, police said.

Records checks showed that between the time the phone was activated in March and May 4, 2008, it was used to make calls to Jeffrey Ruggiero and Kristin Ruggiero's boyfriend. Police found the calls were made from Tennessee and California, but Jeffrey Ruggiero was with the Coast Guard in South Carolina at the time.

However, Kristin Ruggiero was in both Tennessee and California, and the calls were picked up by cell towers within miles of where she was staying, Blanchard said yesterday.

Kristin Ruggiero faces 12 felony counts of falsifying physical evidence and a single misdemeanor count of making a false statement to police. She was indicted by a grand jury in May 2009.

During his opening statement, Blanchard said Kristin Ruggiero framed her husband because she was upset he had a new girlfriend, and he would be free on bail while appealing the April 30 conviction in District Court.

"That infuriated the defendant," Blanchard said.

Defense attorney Chuck Keefe said evidence will show Kristin Ruggiero could not possibly have placed some of the calls on the phone. While prosecutors have been convinced she has manipulated the situation, it is actually part of a plot by her ex-husband, Keefe said.

"The evidence, in the end, will show you that Jeffrey Ruggiero had his hand behind all this," Keefe said.

Both sides described the trial ahead as a complicated one, based heavily on phone records and testimony.

It is expected to last about two weeks.