Special Victims Detective Accused Of Raping Girl

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detective assigned to handle child molestation cases with the Special Victims Bureau has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl involved in a case he was investigating.

Neil Kimball, 45, was arrested Friday on suspicion of rape by force and "preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from testifying, said Nicole Nishida, spokeswoman for the department's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau. Kimball was being held on $2 million bail and remained in custody Monday. The case has rattled the department given number of vulnerable victims Kimball has had access to through his work.

The department did not release specifics of the allegations against Kimball. However, it's not the first time Kimball has been accused of sexual misconduct on the job, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"The investigation and arrest resulted from information provided to the (sheriff's department) by a member of the public," Nishida said in a statement.

The crime allegedly occurred in Ventura County in November of 2017, Michael Schwartz, Ventura County chief assistant district attorney, told The Times.

Kimball has investigated dozens of child molestation cases during his time with the sheriff's Special Victims Unit. The charges against him will likely trigger an exhaustive review of his cases as well as a past allegation against him.

According to the Times, he was accused of ordering a group of women to disrobe in front of him and exposing himself to one of the women, placing her hand on his genitals. The allegation did not lead to charges.

Kimball was relieved of duty with pay, according to the sheriff's department. He has not been on duty with the unit since August when he was hospitalized, Nishida said.

"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.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of LASD