Pleasant Grove pizza manager arrested for investigation of abusing teen employee

Pleasant Grove pizza manager arrested for investigation of abusing teen employee

(Utah County Jail)


1 photo
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

PLEASANT GROVE — A pizza restaurant manager was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail Friday for investigation of sexually abusing a female teen employee.

Gabriel Alejandro Ruz, 43, of Midvale, was arrested for investigation of two counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child, and sexual battery. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold was also placed on him, according to jail records.

The investigation began when a 17-year-old girl contacted a resource officer at Pleasant Grove High School to report a sexual assault, according to a jail probable cause report.

The girl, who worked at Big Daddy’s Pizza, 238 East State Street in Pleasant Grove, told the officer that on Dec. 18, Ruz, her boss, inappropriately touched her over her clothing, the report stated. During a subsequent interview, the teen told investigators that Ruz "has made several sexual advance towards her," and on multiple occasions would inappropriately "grab" her over her clothing, the report stated.

"She estimated it was at least once-a-week while she was working. Furthermore, the female disclosed Gabriel makes very sexual comments towards her, including telling her she is 'sexy,' that he wants a mistress," according to the report.


The victim stated she specifically remembers, on December 18, 2014, while they were working, Gabriel told her he would pay her '$300 if [she] would have sex with him.'

–probable cause report


Ruz further told the teen, according to police, that he would forgive a debt that the girl's boyfriend owed him if she would sleep with him.

"The victim stated she specifically remembers, on December 18, 2014, while they were working, Gabriel told her he would pay her '$300 if [she] would have sex with him,'" the report stated.

Later that same night, as they were closing the store, Ruz had the teen follow him into his office to give her a Christmas bonus, but then tried to put his hand up her shirt and undo her pants after giving her the money, according to the report.

"At that point, she walked out of the office and Gabriel ordered her to not say anything to anyone," according to the report. "The victim stated she was afraid that Gabriel would get in trouble by disclosing the event to me but stated she didn’t believe she deserved to be treated or assaulted in that way."

When police picked up Ruz for questioning he claimed he didn't know English, "despite the fact he spoke English to officers at the restaurant and has spoken English to officers on different cases where he was not the suspect," the report stated.

Ruz was then transported to jail.

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Pat Reavy

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast