Fairfield Church Pastor Arrested for Alleged Child Molestations

CBS San Francisco
June 29, 2012

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/06/29/fairfield-church-pastor-arrested-for-alleged-child-molestations/

Robert Ruark (Fairfield Police Dept.)

A pastor at a church in Fairfield was arrested Thursday on suspicion of molesting at least five victims as far back as 1994, police said Friday.

Fairfield police were contacted Thursday by clergy of the diocese represented by St. Timothy Orthodox Church, located at 4593 Central Way.

The diocese had learned of possible molestations by one of their pastors, 65-year-old Robert Ruark, who is also known as “Father Silas,” according to police.

Detectives worked all day interviewing potential victims and witnesses in the case and eventually identified five victims, all of whom are now adults and said Ruark committed lewd acts upon them when they were as young as 13 years old, police said.

Ruark also allegedly photographed the victims in a nude state, and committed many of the molestations at the church, where the victims had been left alone with him, according to police.

At about 9:45 p.m., officers went to Ruark’s home in the 1400 block of Spence Court in Suisun City and arrested him on suspicion of multiple charges related to the alleged molestations, police said.

Investigators were still trying to identify other possible victims in the case and were asking anyone with information to contact the Police Department’s investigations bureau at (707) 428-7600 or its 24-hour tip line at (707) 428-7345.

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