SD County Sheriff’s deputy arrested for lewd acts with child in Riverside County

A San Diego County sheriff’s deputy was free on bail today following his arrest by Riverside County authorities on suspicion of lewd acts with a child.

Sam Thomas Knight, 40, was arrested Tuesday and booked on suspicion of lewd acts with a child and child molestation, according to Riverside County jail records. He was released the following day on $65,000 bail.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department provided additional information on the case in a statement KESQ & CBS Local 2:

“In July of 2016, staff at the Perris Sheriff’s Station received information regarding a sexual assault of a minor,” reads the statement. “The investigation identified the suspect as, Sam Thomas Knight, a 40-year-old resident of Santee. Thomas was located in the city of San Diego and arrested without incident. He was transported and booked to the Cois Byrd Detention Center in the city of Murrieta for the listed charges.”

San Diego County sheriff’s officials said Knight has been placed on leave and relieved of his law-enforcement authority.

“The Sheriff’s Department was made aware of this investigation from the beginning and cooperated fully with the Riverside sheriff’s detectives,” San Diego sheriff’s officials said. “The sheriff’s department has no comment on Mr. Knights’ current arrest.”