Ricardo Ruiz, 36, of Clearlake was taken into custody on Thursday evening in Brea.
He was arrested on felony charges of contacting a minor to commit a felony, arranging to meet with a minor for a lewd purpose and meeting with a minor for a lewd purpose, said Lt. Tony Barbosa of Brea Police Department.
Ruiz did not, however, actually meet a minor. Rather, he had been chatting online with an adult posing as a young teenage girl as part of a sting operation conducted by a private group called CC Unit.
Ruiz set up a meeting with the decoy and was in Brea to meet her when he was taken into custody.
Lakeport Unified School District Superintendent Matt Bullard confirmed to Lake County News that Ruiz is a district employee.
Bullard said Ruiz has been the Terrace Middle School physical education teacher since August.
CC Unit’s founder, who identified himself as “Ghost” to protect his anonymity and future operations, said his group never makes first contact with an individual.
He said Ruiz contacted the decoy through a messenger app on the night of Nov. 22 and over the course of their interactions arranged to meet her this week, over the winter break.
During their ongoing chats, Ruiz said he was 27 years old and “said a bunch of graphic stuff” of a sexual nature, Ghost said.
Ghost said he confronted Ruiz when he showed up for the planned meeting at a Target store in a shopping center in Brea on Thursday.
Barbosa said Brea Police Department was not working with CC Unit, but was notified that it was doing a recording of a sting operation at the Gateway Shopping Center.
Ghost explained that he livestreamed himself confronting Ruiz at the store. He said his group didn’t call police, adding he believed it was a livestream viewer who called them.
Officers took Ruiz into custody in the shopping center parking lot, Barbosa said.
Late Friday afternoon, Bullard sent out a letter to parents about the situation, explaining that the Brea Police Department had notified the district of Ruiz’s arrest.
“The District’s primary concern is the safety of our students, employees, and greater school community. As such, we will fully participate with all law enforcement investigations. Unfortunately, in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, we are unable to provide any additional information,” Bullard wrote.
“LUSD has been in contact with law enforcement and its legal counsel and will immediately implement a local investigation into the conduct and behavior of the teacher in question. This investigation will be partnered with immediate steps that will ensure the safety of our student body and school community,” Bullard’s letter continued.
Ruiz was immediately placed on leave status and will not be at Terrace Middle School when students return on Monday, Jan. 3, Bullard said.
Bullard asked parents to report any incidents or concerns involving Ruiz to the district office.
Ruiz, who was booked into the Theo Lacy Facility jail complex in Orange County following his arrest, was released from custody just before 5 p.m. Friday, online jail records showed.
CC Unit’s operations have resulted in one other arrest in Brea, Barbosa confirmed.
Separately, Ghost said their stings, which began in 2018, have led to numerous arrests and some convictions in other parts of the state.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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