California prosecutors say the former sex-crimes detective charged with sexually assaulting a juvenile female involved in a case he was investigating has admitted to the crime.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the ex-Los Angeles County detective, 46-year-old Neil Kimball, was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in October 2017, initially pleading not guilty late last year to charges including forcible rape and dissuading a witness by force or threat.
“He met her during the course of the investigation,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Patrice Koenig. “He befriended her and spent time with her outside the scope of the investigation and then the sexual assault occurred.”
According to the Ventura County Star, he entered a guilty plea earlier this week during an appearance in Ventura County Superior Court.
The move resulted in a conviction on counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and lewd act on a child, both felonies that carry a maximum sentence of three years behind bars. He is set to be sentenced in August.
Koenig said Kimball will also be required to register as a sex offender. He has been in jail since his arrest in November with bail set at $2 million. Bail is no longer an option since his guilty plea.
“Based on our investigation, we believe the charges he pled guilty to best fit the crimes he committed,” the prosecutor said.
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[Featured image: Neil Kimball, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office]
