Dayton man pleads guilty to having gun at middle school parking lot

A 19-year-old man pleaded guilty to a federal charge for having a gun while on the grounds of a Dayton middle school earlier this year.

Jacob Ruff, Jr., of Dayton, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Tuesday for possession of a firearm at Edwin Joel Brown Middle School, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker Southern District of Ohio.

He faces up to five years in prison. A sentencing date has not been scheduled at this time.

Just before 8 p.m. on May 12, Dayton police officers were called to the first block of Willowwood Drive on a report of shots fired. The initial report said there was a large group of people fighting at Edwin Joel Brown Middle School and a male was firing a gun, according to federal court records.

School surveillance video footage showed a shooting had taken place in the parking lot.

A juvenile fired the first shots and a man, later identified as Ruff, pulled out a firearm and shot toward the playground, according to a federal complaint. Police found five .40 caliber shell casings in the parking lot.

On May 31, Dayton officers on patrol responded to a disturbance on Waymire Avenue. They arrived to find a crowd blocking the road and moving in and out of vehicles and yards.

Officers attempted to clear the area by turning on the cruiser’s overhead lights and using the sirens and PA system, but people reportedly stayed in the road.

Police got out of the cruiser and spoke to several people, including a man with rifle ammunition in a satchel, according to court records. They found another man with a fanny pack similar to satchel. When they attempted to detain the man, later identified as Ruff, he reportedly fled on foot.

Credit: Miami County Jail

Credit: Miami County Jail

Officers chased after Ruff and moments later used their Taser, hitting Ruff in the back, according to court documents. Ruff fell to the ground but reportedly refused to give officers his left hand as they attempted to handcuff him. Police used the Taser again and were able to arrest Ruff a short time later.

When officers searched the fanny pack, they found a Taurus .40 caliber pistol that was listed as stolen.

Ruff was arrested and booked in the Montgomery County Jail.

Further investigation confirmed a test casing fired from the pistol matched a shell casing recovered from the middle school parking lot, according to court records.