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June 20, 2013

Secret Service officer accused of sexually assaulting teen

BY: NAOMI JAGODA OCTOBER 24, 2012 | 6:00 PM
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Topics: Crime

A U.S. Secret Service officer was arrested on charges he inappropriately touched a 14-year-old female family member.

Hector Reynaldo Cuellar, 51, of Woodbridge, who was reportedly part of the vice president's security detail, was charged Monday with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child by a custodian, Prince William County police said.

Police first learned of abuse on Sunday. An investigation found that from August to October, Cuellar sexually assaulted the girl on three occasions.

The assaults occurred in two residences in Woodbridge where Cuellar and the victim lived together, Prince William County police spokesman Officer Jonathan Perok said. He would not say specifically how Cuellar and the victim were related.

Cuellar is assigned to Vice President Joe Biden's residence in Washington, FoxNews.com reported. He is an officer with the Uniformed Division -- the part of the Secret Service that is responsible for security at the White House Complex, the vice president's residence and foreign diplomatic missions in the D.C. area.

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said that the organization is aware of the arrest and that Cuellar has been placed on administrative leave pending judicial action.

Donovan would not say if Cuellar's leave was paid or unpaid, and he would not say how long the officer has been with the Secret Service.

Officers learned that Cuellar was a Secret Service officer during the investigation, but the suspect's profession had no impact on the investigation, Perok said.

"Any type of sexual-based offense against a juvenile is taken really seriously," he said.

Cuellar was being held without bond on Tuesday. Information about his next court date was not available.

njagoda@washingtonexaminer.com

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Naomi Jagoda

Staff reporter
The Washington Examiner
@njagoda Naomi on FB

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