A Houston police sergeant has been relieved of his duty, but not fired after being charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl, reports ABC13.
Police arrested Sgt Tung Tran on accusations of molesting the 13-year-old daughter of a family friend.
Investigators told KPRC the family trusted Tran to care for the girl. He bought her gifts and kept in contact through social media.
“This is especially egregious here because of his position in this community as a Houston Police Department officer, the family and child were aware of that, and that kind of power differential prevents a child from feeling like they can outcry when it’s already difficult to outcry to sexual abuse in general,” prosecutor Janna Oswald said to KHOU.
Tran has been released from custody on a $260,000 bond. He is facing two counts of aggravated assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child.
Prosecutors say the incidents happened during Christmas and Spring break.
The Houston Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division is also investigating the charges.
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