Major Crimes Detectives with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office recently completed a week long investigation with assistance from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The findings led to a signed warrant affidavit. That individual is now in the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Richard Cruz II, 39 years of age, has been charged with 3 counts of sexual assault on a minor. Those charges are all first degree felonies. Cruz is also charged with 1 count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a first degree misdemeanor. Richard Cruz, II, is being held on $750,000 bond.
Richard Cruz is assigned to the 6th Ranger Training Battalion as a Ranger Instructor at Eglin Air Force Base.
According to the arrest report, Cruz took the alleged victim to Navarre Beach and offered her $50 and beer to go “skinny dipping” on March 29. The report states that the female victim took off her jersey and shorts and got into the water, but Cruz told her that was not skinny dipping and he wasn’t going to pay her. She returned the car and drank beer and then took off her bra on returned to the water.
After they were done swimming and back in the car, according to the report, Cruz told the victim “come on let’s do it, nobody will know.” The victim reportedly told Cruz no multiple times, but Cruz “climbed over the center console, pulled the lever to lower the seat back and then inserted himself.”
The alleged victim was taken to Ft. Walton Hospital after inappropriate pictures were discovered on Cruz’s cell phone by an unidentified person, according to the report.
Navarre Newspaper reminds our readers that Richard Cruz II is presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
