Firefighter charged with sexual assault granted bail

Manuel Ruiz, the Winnipeg firefighter and jiu-jitsu instructor accused of sexually assaulting a woman and two underage girls, has been granted bail.

Ruiz, 52, has been in custody since his arrest Sept. 22.

Judge Lindy Choy granted Ruiz bail following a hearing Wednesday afternoon. Details of the hearing, attended by a dozen of Ruiz's family members, cannot be disclosed under terms of a publication ban.

Ruiz was ordered to be released on a $30,000 personal recognizance, three sureties totaling $75,000 and a $10,000 cash deposit.

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Choy ordered that Ruiz live with his parents, observe a nightly curfew, have no contact with anyone under 18, not use the Internet except for work, and not possess weapons.

His next court date is Nov. 20.

Ruiz spent the bulk of his time in solitary confinement.

"It has had an extraordinarily difficult impact on him being in custody this past month," his lawyer Matt Gould said outside court Wednesday.

Ruiz is charged with multiple offences, including sexual assault of a child, forcible confinement and luring a childstemming from accusations of sexual abuse against three people dating back to 2001.
Among other allegations, Ruiz is accused of sexually assaulting a girl at a jiu-jitsu studio in 2001.

During the investigation into that allegation, officers found another woman who reported being sexually assaulted by Ruiz at a different location in 2005 and 2006.

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A third victim, who is still under 18, said Ruiz contacted her through an online advertisement for escort services and paid her for sex from 2015 until recently, police said last month.

Police told CBC News in September they've been contacted by more than a dozen people regarding Ruiz since releasing details of the investigation.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service told CBC News last month that Ruiz has been removed from active duty. The 25-year veteran had been promoted to lieutenant within the last year.