Former Los Angeles police officer accused of giving meth to 14-year-old girl and sexually abusing her

A former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy has been accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and giving her methamphetamine.

Benny Caluya, 68, has pleaded not guilty to charges of lewd act on a child and supplying a controlled substance to a minor. Officials arrested him weeks ago in connection with the alleged crimes.

In a written statement released Wednesday, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said, “Today we stand firmly in solidarity with this brave teenage survivor, a young girl whose vulnerability was exploited.”

“It is particularly egregious that a former police officer sexually exploited a young girl and, together with his accomplice, supplied her with methamphetamine.”

Caluya’s nephew, Clifford Abihai, 49, was also arrested in connection with the case The Los Angeles Times. He also pleaded not guilty this week to one count of providing a controlled substance to a minor.

Accordingly The timesCaluya became a reserve deputy in 1979. He later moved and worked as a sheriff’s deputy in San Bernardino County before moving back to Los Angeles County in 1982. His law enforcement career ended when he resigned for undisclosed reasons in 2001, the outlet reported.

According to prosecutors, the former officer and his nephew picked up the girl at the end of August. She was walking alone in Lancaster, California, the outlet reported. The men gave the girl methamphetamine and Caluya allegedly sexually abused her at his home in Lancaster.

The former officer now faces ten years in prison if convicted. Abihai could receive a maximum sentence of nine years. Caluya was released on $250,000 bail and Abihai was released on $100,000 bail.

Caluya’s criminal case is being prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Sex Crimes Unit. The next court date in this case is November 12th.