A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective with the Special Victims Bureau was in custody this week on suspicion of rape and witness tampering.
Neil Kimball, 45, was arrested Nov. 16 by members of the sheriff’s department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau, according to department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida.
Kimball was booked on suspicion of rape by force and “preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from testifying,” and he was being held on $2 million bail, Nishida said.
“The investigation and arrest resulted from information provided to the (sheriff’s department) by a member of the public,” Nishida said in a statement.
Although the department did not release specifics of the allegations against Kimball, the Los Angeles Times reported that Kimball allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl involved in a case he was investigating.
The alleged crime occurred in Ventura County, and authorities in that county assisted in the investigation, Nishida said.
Michael Schwartz, Ventura County chief assistant district attorney, told The Times the alleged crime occurred in November 2017. The Times reported that Kimball has investigated dozens of child molestation cases during his time with the sheriff’s Special Victims Unit.
Kimball was relieved of duty with pay, according to the sheriff’s department.
“When investigators became aware of the alleged criminal misconduct, they immediately initiated an internal investigation,” Nishida said. “The alleged conduct occurred during the scope of the employee’s assignment with the Special Victims Bureau.”
There was no immediate word on when Kimball might appear in court.
