Williamsport man admits child sexual abuse and faces trial

Williamsport, Pennsylvania – Cody Allen Ruhl of Williamsport faces multiple charges, including rape of a child, following a verdict Thursday morning in Williamsport.

Judge Gary Whiteman made his decision after prosecutors called the victim and a lead investigator to the witness stand during the preliminary hearing.

The victim said 21-year-old Ruhl kissed her on the lips during direct questioning by prosecutors. Ruhl also forced the victim to perform oral sex, according to the statement.

Williamsport man charged with 42 counts of assault on minors following investigation

Other charges heard in court included involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, indecent touching of a person under 13, exhibitionism and harassment.

“I just hope I don’t get arrested,” Ruhl said during an interview with Trooper Josiah Reiner that was played in the courtroom during Thursday’s preliminary hearing in Williamsport.

Trp. Reiner first spoke with Ruhl after State Police in Montoursville received a tip about child abuse. During the interview, Ruhl initially blamed the underage victim.

“He (the victim) pulled down his pants and put his genitals in my mouth,” Ruhl told Reiner.

After asking his social worker to leave the room, Ruhl finally confessed to touching the child. According to his own statements during the interview, Ruhl estimated that he forced the child to perform oral sex more than ten times over a three-month period.

“I touched him,” Ruhl said. “I was afraid of being arrested.”

When asked how often he attacked the child, Ruhl replied, “Quite often.”

Access to the children via the social worker

Ruhl, who has been charged with three separate felonies, asked to be moved back to a Community Options Inc. group home near the 400 block of Woodland Ave in Williamsport during a bail hearing in late April. Since moving into the home and being monitored by Community Options, Inc., Ruhl has been charged three times in Lycoming County.

A social worker with Community Options, Inc. was responsible for placing Ruhl in a group home in Loyalsock. According to witnesses, the worker took Ruhl and another person from the home into his home at times. Ruhl had access to his victim while at the social worker’s home and reported visiting her regularly.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” the traumatized child said during cross-examination on Thursday. Ruhl turned his back to the video screen on which the victim could be seen during his testimony.

Before the hearing began Thursday, a photo of a young child was projected onto the video screen on a lawyer’s computer desktop. He was asked to remove the photo for fear it might tempt the accused child molester to act.

IMG_0259 (2).jpg — A group home used by Community Options, Inc. where Cody Ruhl resides. The home is located in a residential area of Williamsport where several families reside.

Brett Crossley/Northcentralpa.com

The group home from which Ruhl reportedly escaped several times is located in a neighborhood that also includes families with children. Jamie Lyons, the executive director of Community Options, Inc.’s Northumberland and Columbia offices, was called to testify at the April hearing.

“We believe we can continue to support him in the dorm,” Lyons said.

Community Options, Inc. does not have an office in Lycoming County, according to its website.

Lyons did not return calls seeking comment after being contacted by Northcentralpa.com.

Ruhl, who has been found competent to stand trial, is reportedly under 24-hour surveillance by four rotating staff members at the home. The cost of his confinement at the home is reportedly about $300,000, paid for by the state through Medicare, according to testimony.

Ruhl was allegedly violent toward staff at the home. According to an affidavit filed earlier this year, he threw furniture at them and terrified a pregnant staff member. A harassment charge filed in that case was amended this week to add Ruhl’s case, which was brought to trial along with the other charges.

In 2023, Ruhl was charged with rape of a mentally retarded person, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse with a mentally retarded person, indecent contact with a mentally retarded person, and exhibitionism.

This case has been withdrawn.

Following a ruling by a district judge, Ruhl’s probation was revoked in its entirety. If he were released, Community Options, Inc. would be solely responsible for Ruhl, who has been incarcerated in the Lycoming County Jail since the ruling.

Routing sheet

Stay up to date

Access to independent, local news is important, don’t you agree?

We work hard to provide timely, relevant news for free. Your contribution to NorthcentralPa.com goes 100% to our coverage of local news and events.

Thanks for saying local news matters!