Santa Cruz surfer Anthony Ruffo sentenced to jail on meth charges – Surfing News
Anthony Ruffo, a professional surfer from Santa Cruz, was sentenced to two years in Santa Cruz County Jail, two years in a sheriff’s custody program and one year of mandatory supervision on Tuesday, February 21.
Due to the no contest plea entered by the 48-year-old surfer on December 22, 2011, to charges relating to possession of methamphetamines, commonly known as meth, with intent to sell and being under the influence, the ultimate ruling by Judge Paul Marigonda
ordered Ruffo to serve only one year instead of two in County Jail.
Ruffo, who had driven to the court himself on Tuesday, had clearly not expected such a sentence. He was taken into custody right after the proceedings of the court.
Talking to the reporters on Tuesday afternoon, the Santa Cruz-based surfer’s attorney Ben Rice said, “I just talked to Ruffo, and he's doing well, he has a good attitude about it all and he's dealing with it. It wasn't the outcome either of us expected.
I think justice would be better served if he could go out and keep doing the great work he's been doing in this community, but the judge didn't see it that way. He's made a big impact in this community over the last year, and it's regrettable he won't be able
to continue that for awhile. He'd turned over a new leaf and was really trying to make a difference.”
There were a number of notable surfers present in the packed courthouse on Tuesday. These included Daryl “Flea” Virostko and Adam Replogle. While they sympathised with Ruffo, they felt that it was ultimately going to do good for the Santa Cruz-based surfer.
Ken Collins, another surfer from Santa Cruz, said that while he considered Ruffo as one of the nicest guys that he had ever come across, there was no denying the fact that he had lost his way. The sentence has provided the 48-year-old surfer to make amends
for all that he has done wrong in the recent years by paying his debts to the society. This will eventually close the dark chapter of his life once and for all and will help him get a new beginning.
Ruffo, who was renowned for his surfing prowess in the 80s and 90s, was first convicted of selling meth in 2005. He got in trouble with the law once again when an ounce of the drug was discovered during a raid on his Laurel Street home in July, 2010.
The Santa Cruz surfer had been involved in lecturing teenagers at schools and juvenile detention centres on the harmful effects of drugs. While the community may have begun to see Ruffo as a different person, the law was not ready to let Ruffo off the hook
just yet.
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