Marina del Rey Sheriff's Deputy Pleads Not Guilty to Child Molestation Charges

A 45-year-old Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy assigned to the Marina del Rey station pleaded not guilty Thursday to three felony counts of child molestation for sex crimes allegedly committed after he met a 15-year-old girl while on duty.

Kenneth Alexander entered his plea at the Airport Courthouse before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz. Schwartz scheduled a Nov. 22 court date to set a preliminary hearing.

Alexander turned himself in at the sheriff's Carson station Oct. 20, a day after he was charged in a felony complaint for arrest warrant. He immediately posted $115,000 bail and has remained free on bond since.

Authorities allege that Alexander met the girl in 2010 after he responded to an investigation at the girl's home while assigned as a patrol deputy at the sheriff's Marina del Rey station. The crimes allegedly occurred between Aug. 10, 2010 and Feb. 28, 2011, when Alexander met with the victim while off-duty in the community of View Park.

An informant called the Los Angeles County Child Abuse Hotline on Aug. 16, 2011, and a suspected child abuse report was taken. Detectives with the sheriff's Special Victims Bureau initially had Alexander's name wrong, but eventually were able to interview the alleged victim.

Detectives interviewed Alexander on Sept. 19, 2011 and he was relieved of duty with pay pending further investigation. He was suspended without pay in October after the charges were filed.

Alexander has been charged with one count of oral copulation of a person under 16 and two counts of lewd acts upon a child age 15. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum prison term of four years, four months and will be required to register as a sex offender.