Fairfield Pastor, Former Police Officer Accused of Child Molestation Enters Not Guilty Plea

It’s a side of the criminal justice system that Robert Eugene Ruark never thought he would be on, but on Monday afternoon Ruark donned a black and-white-striped jail jumpsuit to hear child molestation charges brought upon him by the Solano County District Attorney’s office.

Ruark, 65, who goes by Father Silas over at St. Timothy Orthodox Church, entered a plea of not guilty to 27 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child and one felony count of dissuading a victim in the Solano County Superior courtroom of Judge E. Bradley Nelson.

According to the complaint filed by Solano Deputy District Attorney Mary H. Nguyen, Ruark is charged with molesting three individuals. He is accused of molesting one person from August 2001 through July 31, 2006.

On June 23, 2012, Ruark attempted to dissuade the victim from testifying against him in court the complaint reads. Nguyen alleges that the abuse against the person began when the individual was 13 years old. The victim is now 23 years old.

In her complaint, Nguyen also charges Ruark with lewd acts upon two females, one for a period of about a year, and the other for a period of about two years.

The next phase of the case against Father Silas, as people at St. Timothy’s know him, is scheduled for Aug. 23, a readiness trial in which a preliminary trial date may be set.

Ruark was well-known in the community. The last time he appeared in the news was in this article published by the Fairfield Daily Republic. In that story, Ruark told the paper that he was not expecting to ever see again three brass bells stolen from St. Timothy's by thieves. He also told the paper that he is a former police officer. However, the paper did not report from where Ruark served and protected.

Back in Oct. 28 2003, Ruark was honored by the Solano County Board of Supervisors with a plaque for his 14 years of service to the county working as a welfare fraud manager for its department of health and social services.

On Thursday, the Fairfield Police Department took Ruark into custody at his Suisun City home. Police said that Ruark allegedly took nude photographs of the victims and committed molestations at the church.

Meanwhile, Deacon John Dibs of St. Timothy Orthodox Church declined comment to Suisun City Patch, stating he had other church matters to tend to. Ruark posted a bond of $500,000 and is free on bail, awaiting the next phase of the case against him.

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