Peoria judge denies bail for man accused of stalking, burglary
PEORIA, Ill (WMBD) — A Peoria County judge ruled Israel Ruiz will remain behind bars until he stands trial for stalking charges involving his ex-girlfriend.
Ruiz, 41, appeared in Peoria County Circuit Court on charges of residential burglary and aggravated stalking, felonies that could send him to prison for up to 15 years.
During the hearing, Ruiz, who needed interpreter to participate in the hearing, kept trying to talk during the Friday afternoon hearing.
Finally, Peoria County Judge Mark Gilles let him speak, despite several warnings from his defense attorney and the judge himself.
Ruiz said, through the interpreter, that he called the alleged victim from the county jail because she was the only person whose number he had. That call came after an order of protection was entered against him.
Terry Muench, an assistant state’s attorney, said officers responded to a home on the 1100 block of Northeast Glen Oak Avenue about 6:40 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, “after the victim discovered a hidden video camera inside her home.
The victim, Muench said in open court, reported ongoing issues with Ruiz and had recently obtained the order of protection against him. She described previous incidents in which Ruiz had made threats toward her and her children, deflated her car tires, and ripped a camera off her house.”
According to court records, the victim applied for the order of protection in August, saying Ruiz was harassing her daily and seemingly tracking her movements. He went to her house and beat on her door and threatened to hurt her, the petition for the order of protection stated.
A judge granted her the protective order which was set expire in two years.
Detectives arrested him on Wednesday after he left a home in the 2200 block of West Howett Street. Police also got a search warrant for the home where they reportedly turned up “additional surveillance cameras, multiple cellular devices, and illegal narcotics.”
Muench said he allegedly admitted to breaking into the victim’s home three times, placing two hidden cameras inside, and putting a GPS tracker in her vehicle.
Ruiz will remain held at the Peoria County Jail until his trial. He is set to next to next appear in court on Nov. 6.
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