A Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy in Houston will be relieved of duty after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in front of her daughter. Kenneth Reed, 45, is the deputy that was arrested on July 21 per a sexual assault investigation that began earlier this year. Sexually explicit and lewd photographs of Reed were allegedly sent to the victim by Reed.
Reed faces two to 20 years in prison.
In March of 2020 an unnamed woman reported that a uniformed deputy assaulted her with his hands, ABC 13 News reports. The 26-year old mother was walking back to her car on a dead end street after walking her dog with her 7-year-old daughter.
Reed approached the woman and struck up a conversation, according a statement from the sheriff’s office. Reed told her to put her daughter into her car. The victim says Reed then called her over to his patrol car and made lewd comments about her body.
Reed then is accused of sexually assaulting the woman, according to the sheriff’s office. The woman’s daughter used a pad of paper in the car to write a note to her mother, which she held to the window.
The girl’s note said, “Mommy why is he touching you like that?”
Reed also is accused of programming his number in the woman’s phone and called himself so he had her number. Later that day, Reed allegedly texted her a lewd photograph and a sexually explicit video of himself.
The victim reported the crime to the sheriff’s office and an investigation was launched. The victim also submitted to a rape kit.
Before charges were filed, Harris County prosecutors said Reed struck a deal to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official oppression in exchange for two years’ probation. Reed also said he would give up his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement license, which grants him permission to be a police officer.
Prosecutors however were unable to reach that deal and officially filed charges on Reed for criminal felony sexual assault.
Reed worked for the sheriff’s office since 1997. Reed remains employed, but could face disciplinary action including termination following a civil service review.
