Neil Kimball was arrested after a month-long investigation and placed on paid leave Saturday
(Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)
A sex crimes detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that accused him of tying up and raping a 14-year-old girl he met while working on a case.
Neil Kimball, 45, was arrested after a month-long investigation and placed on paid leave Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The alleged attack occurred in November 2017 in Ventura County, prosecutors said. Details of how Kimball knew the girl were not disclosed.
The investigation into Kimball began in October while he was off for several months due to medical reasons. A colleague at the department’s special victims bureau took over some of his investigations and subsequently learned of the accusations against him.
The 20-year department veteran is charged with forcible rape against a minor and trying to intimidate a witness. He faces 19 years to life in prison if convicted and is being held in Ventura County jail on $2 million bail.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has launched a review of past criminal cases that relied on Kimball’s testimony. Kimball is listed as a witness in 977 cases, the office said.
Before joining the sex crimes unit, Kimball was investigated for sexual battery, but was never charged with a crime.
In a separate case, a woman claimed he grabbed her hand and tried to force her to touch his genitals. No charges were filed in that case either.
“If there was a hint — a hint — of any type of sexual harassment or abuse, even if you may not have proof, why are you promoting that person to the sex-crimes unit?” said Patti Giggans, the chair of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission.
The sheriff’s department said it is investigating the process that led to Kimball’s promotion. His next scheduled court date is Dec. 18.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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