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A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective pleaded guilty to child molestation involving a teenager whose sexual assault case he was investigating, authorities said Wednesday.

Neil David Kimball, 46, of Agoura, pleaded guilty to a lewd act with a child and unlawful sexual intercourse, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said.

The detective was initially charged with forcible rape against a minor 14 years or older while the victim was tied or bound, as well as witness intimidation by threat of force, the DA said.

While working as a detective with the Special Victims Bureau for sex crimes in 2017, he met with a 15-year-old when she reported being a victim of sexual assault.

“While investigating that case, Kimball befriended the victim and sexually assaulted her,” the DA’s office said in a news release.

Kimball was relieved of duty with pay after he was taken into custody in November 2018, authorities said.

The assault allegedly occurred somewhere in Ventura County between Oct. 1, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2017, the DA’s office said last year.

Kimball’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 8, 2019, at a Ventura court. He is expected to be sentenced to three years in prison under the terms of a plea agreement.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Kimball as being a “former” detective. In fact, at the time of this report, he was still employed by the Sheriff’s Department but had been relieved of duty with pay. The article has been updated.

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