Sheriff's officials said /*Michael Risenhoover*?, 33, was arrested when he showed up at work as part of the investigation. He immediately resigned from his position.
"Obviously it's a sad situation for us," said Lt. Cheri Lehner. "Pending the investigation and the outcome of the trial we'll go from there, but never do we like hearing things of this nature."
Lehner told Action News that Risenhoover allegedly committed the crimes over the course of three years. After an investigation spanning several months, she said the department had enough evidence to arrest him and book him into the Tulare County jail.
"The minor disclosed some of the allegations to a staff member at one of the schools and we took over the investigation at that point," she said.
Risenhoover is a nine year veteran with the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. He was currently assigned to the Detentions Division, but was placed on administrative leave in March, after a staff member with the Pixley Unified School District contacted the Crimes Against Children Unit. The staff member said the female student had been molested on multiple occasions.
Sheriff officials aren't releasing the victim's name and age because she is a minor, but Action News has learned the district is home to an elementary and a middle school, but not a high school. That means the victim is likely under the age of 14.
Lehner said Deputy Risenhoover was arrested on multiple counts of unlawful acts with a minor. He is being held at the Tulare County Main Jail in lieu of $1,300,000.00 bail.
Anybody with additional information is encouraged to contact the Tulare County Sheriff's Department Crimes Against Children's Unit Detective Katherine Garcia at 559-735-1970
