Former police sergeant to face trial on false-ID charge

A FORMER COP accused of falsely identifying himself while turning in guns at a police station last summer was held for trial yesterday.

Ex-Sgt. Brandon Ruff, 28, said afterward: "I'm not surprised. I'm glad . . . I get to tell my side."

After two cops testified at Ruff's preliminary hearing, Ruff was called to the stand by his attorney, Michael Pileggi.

Ruff testified that on Aug. 3, he spoke with a cousin about starting a group to get guns off the street. He then met his cousin, whom he identified as DeRyan Jones, at 21st and Latona streets in Point Breeze and got three guns from him. Later that day, he went to the 35th Police District, at Broad and Champlost streets in Ogontz, to turn the guns in anonymously.

Ruff testified that he gave an officer his cousin's name as the person who gave him the guns, and "absolutely" did not give that as his own name.

He said that after speaking with a female officer, who wasn't friendly, behind a window, he asked for a supervisor. Then another female officer entered the lobby. He said he told her he didn't want to give his name, but just wanted to turn the guns in. He said the officer took his bag with the guns.

He said he then left the building to try to call his cousin on his cellphone, but a male officer grabbed his right hand, spun him around and grabbed his left hand. The officer then said Ruff was under investigation.

"I'm just in shock," Ruff testified. "I'm in awe."

Another male cop threatened to tase him, Ruff said.

He said he gave a code identifying himself as a cop.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wellbrock said afterward that police stopped Ruff, who was dressed in civilian clothes, outside the station because they noticed he had another gun.

He said that Ruff had become irate with the first female cop inside and had given false information to the second one, including giving his name as "Ryan Jones."

He said Ruff didn't identify himself as a cop, and the officers only found out he was a cop when they brought him back into the station and found his police ID.

Ruff was arrested earlier this year on a misdemeanor charge of providing false identification to law-enforcement authorities.

His case was held for trial in Common Pleas Court by Municipal Judge Patrick Dugan. Misdemeanor charges normally are handled in Municipal Court, but prosecutors are seeking a jury trial, which is handled at the Common Pleas level.