(WKBW) Lockport, NY
Thirty year old Kevin Rohde of the Niagara County Sheriff's department turned himself in to the Lockport Police Wednesday night, the same police department where his wife works, on charges he raped a young girl several years ago.
Rohde, a seven year veteran of the Niagara County Sheriff's Department is off the job now, accused of rape.
His attorney claims the allegations are made up.
"He is innocent of these allegations. Infact it's even difficult to decide what the allegations are because the information is so poorly drawn that it leaves you to wonder what it is that they claim that he actually did," said George V.C. Muscato, the defense attorney for Rohdes.
What Lockport Police, the Niagara County District Attorney and Sheriff's office say Rohde did was commit first degree rape back in 1999 when Rohde was just 18 years old and before he became a deputy.
Authorities say Rohde knew the victim, who was a minor at the time of the alleged assault, around 14 or 15 years old. Still Rohde's attorney argues the claims are suspicious.
"You have to really question the credibility here of the complainant. Twelve years later, she's 20 some years old, she's now claiming that some event happened in her life back when she was 14 or 15 years old?" questioned Muscato.
Muscato plans to fight the charges even if it means going to trial. He says Rohde comes from a law enforcement family. His father worked in law enforcement and his wife is currently a Lockport Police officer. The couple just had a baby three weeks ago.
"Obviously his life is shattered. He has a family to support. They just bought a home, so he has all the worries and issues that come about with these kind of false accusations," said Muscato.
Rohde immediately posted bail and was released the same day of his arrest Wednesday night. He is currently suspended from work with pay and is due back in court Monday morning.
If he is found guilty of the rape charges, he could spend the next 25 years in prison.
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