SAN DIEGO — A San Diego police sergeant facing charges of soliciting minors for sex failed to show up for his arraignment Monday before being found dead at his home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A bench warrant was issued for Sergeant Joseph Ruvido at a hearing Monday. He had been arrested in his Carmel Valley home last month.
After Ruvido did not appear in court, SDPD officers went to his home to "determine the circumstances of his absence," the agency said. Inside they found Ruvido deceased around 4:25 p.m.
Ruvido had shot himself, San Diego Police Department Chief David Nisleit said at a news conference Monday night.
"All signs, all indications are that this is a suicide," Nisleit said.
Ruvido had no contact with his attorney or prosecutors they said during a court hearing on Monday.
Officers started investigating the 49-year-old after an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip that listed individuals soliciting sex with minors. Ruvido posted $100,000 bail the day after being arrested.
He was facing two felonies and a misdemeanor for attempted sexual contact with a teenager.
Prosecutors described one of the charges as, "an attempted lewd act of on an individual of the age of 14 or 15." The other two counts were related to allegedly arranging and showing up to at least one meeting with sexual intent.
Ruvido faced a maximum sentence of four years in prison and lifetime registry as a sex offender.
Once the judge confirmed he was a no show Monday, he issued the bench warrant for his arrest.
"Once a warrant is issued there will be a team issued to locate him and bring him back to court," a prosecutor said.
Ruvido was a 21-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department and had been assigned to the Watch Commander’s Officer. He had not had contact with the public for the past year or so, Police Chief David Nisleit said. Before that, Ruvido was a patrol sergeant.
Nisleit said last month that he was "very disappointed and very embarrassed" by the arrest of the sergeant on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex.
Ruvido, who had been on unpaid leave, lived alone in a rented home and had no wife or children, Nisleit said.
Funeral arrangements will be decided by Ruvido's family, according to Nisleit.