Los Angeles Sex Crimes Deputy Arrested for Suspected Rape of Teenage Girl

Neil Kimball, a 45-year-old deputy sex crimes investigator with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was arrested on Tuesday on the suspicion of raping a teenage girl while he was on duty.

CNN reports that a deputy with the department says they believe the girl was 14 when the assault occurred. The charge includes an allegation of tying or binding the victim and Kimball is also accused of preventing a witness from testifying. Kimball has been placed on administrative leave and is currently being held on $2 million bond.

That a sex crimes investigator whose job it is to protect victims of sexual assault would then abuse that power is horrifying but unfortunately not surprising. We know from a small study conducted this year that police officers wield their privileges to rape and harass women, and that was just using data provided from the media and women who actually reported these incidents. And in some states it’s even still legal for officers to make sexual contact with women in custody, particularly sex workers. We still don’t know the frequency with which investigators and cops abuse women on the job, but we know its often enough to make these depressing stories routine.