Willard man sentenced to 10 years for sodomy

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Willard man is in jail and has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a girl for four years.

Online court documents show 52-year-old Mark A. Ruggles pleaded guilty to first-degree statutory sodomy on March 29 under a plea agreement.

A probable cause statement says that a 28-year-old woman contacted the Willard Police Department (WPD) in 2021, saying that Ruggles had molested her when she was between 13 and 17 years old.

Documents state Ruggles was 34 years old when he first abused the victim, who told police the first instance of abuse happened when she was 13 and staying the night at his residence because she was friends with someone who lived in his home. The victim and Ruggles were sitting on the living room couch when he switched the TV to pornography.

The victim told police she left and went into a bedroom because she was uncomfortable, according to documents, but Ruggles followed her and started to touch her. The probable cause statement says he left the bedroom and returned with what the victim believed to be a recorder, and told her, “I need you to say you want me to do this.”

The probable cause statement says the victim told investigators about several other instances that occurred about every other week for the next several years. Documents state Ruggles also provided the victim with marijuana, oxycodone and alcohol during this time.

Under the plea agreement, additional sodomy and statutory rape charges were dismissed.

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