An indictment was unsealed Wednesday charging a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy with sexually assaulting four girls between the ages of 7 and 13 at the time of the alleged crimes, according to officials.
“Sexually assaulting a child not only robs them of their innocence but also leaves lasting mental trauma. This is one of the most egregious crimes my office encounters and it is made worse when the crime is committed by someone who has been entrusted to protect them and our community from harm,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “My office’s Bureau of Victim Services will provide the assistance and resources to the victims in this case to help them in their healing process.”
A grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday against Sean Essex, 51, for 18 counts of oral copulation of a child; 12 counts of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14; two counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and one count of possession of material depicting a child sex act.
He is facing 14 25-to-life counts and 18 15-to-life counts.
The indictment was unsealed Wednesday.
Essex pleaded not guilty, officials stated.
The charges include a victim who reported the abuse in 2006 but the case was previously declined by our office, according to officials.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.