Former Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy charged with sexually assaulting teenage girl and supplying meth

A retired Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has been accused of sexually abusing a young girl and giving her methamphetamine, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Benny Vincente Caluya, Jr., 68, faces one count of lewd act on a child 14 or 15 years old and one count of sale or delivery of a controlled substance to a minor, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office . According to prosecutors, if convicted of all charges, he could face up to nine years and eight months in prison.

Caluya allegedly sexually assaulted the girl at his home in Lancaster in August.

He remains free after posting $250,000 bail, according to county inmate records.

According to prosecutors, between August 27 and 28, he and another man, Clifford Abihai, picked up the girl as she was walking alone in Lancaster and supplied her with the drug. Abihai also faces a felony count of selling or delivering a controlled substance to a minor, but does not face assault charges.

On September 6th, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded confirmed in an email statement that Caluya was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and referred to Abihai as his nephew. The department said Abihai was taken into custody on suspicion of kidnapping but not assaulting the victim. They were both arrested on August 28th.

At this time, the sheriff’s department made no mention of drug-related allegations against the men.

On Wednesday, the DA’s office did not mention any charges related to the kidnapping in the case.

Prosecutors said Caluya retired from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department in 2001. When sheriff’s officials confirmed Caluya’s arrest last month, they did not provide details about the circumstances of his departure from the agency.

“Benny Caluya separated from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2001,” the LASD statement said.

Both men pleaded not guilty Monday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 12 at the Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster.

Abihai faces up to nine years in prison if convicted of drug offenses.