NEWPORT, Wash. — Warning: This story contains descriptions of sexual abuse and may be disturbing to some. Reader discretion is advised.
A former Newport school resource officer accused of lewd conduct with a minor and sexual abuse of a minor allegedly assaulted a family member, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Raul Lopez was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into "serious criminal allegations" against him, according to the Newport Police Department. He then resigned from his position with NPD on Jan. 21, 2022, and turned himself into police two days later.
According to court documents, Detective Barry D. Reinink II said he was contacted by BCSO Chaplain David Lotze, who told him that a colleague of his had information about a possible sexual abuse victim that had recently disclosed the abuse to a family member.
Reinink said he contacted Lotze's colleague, BCSO Chaplain Leonard Pine. According to documents, Pine told Reinink that he had a conversation with one of Lopez's family members and the family member said Lopez had been sexually abusing them for the past several months.
Pine then told Reinink that the family member had slipped a note to a trusted adult, disclosing the abuse on Jan. 17, 2022. Pine said once the adult found the note, they promptly moved the victim to another Idaho county.
The affidavit said the adult then contacted Lopez and confronted him about the abuse. According to Pine, Lopez initially denied the allegations but ultimately admitted to the abuse.
The family member told Pine that the abuse "never rose to full-on sexual intercourse," but that it involved inappropriate touching.
Reinink ended his conversation with Pine and immediately contacted the adult the family member told of the abuse, according to the affidavit. Reinink asked the adult if what Pine told him was true, and the adult confirmed it was.
Knowing Lopez was employed by the Newport Police Department (NPD) at the time, Reinink said he contacted NPD Chief Mark Duxbury and told him about the allegations. Duxbury reportedly told Reinink that Lopez went home sick on Jan. 17, the day the adult found the note from the family member.
Lopez was relieved from his position on Jan. 19, according to documents.
The adult then brought the family member in for an interview with the police on Jan. 19. After finding the note, the adult asked the family member if Lopez injured them. The family member reportedly told the adult that Lopez thought they were sleeping while the abuse happened.
According to documents, the family member told police that the last time Lopez abused them was the evening of Sunday, Jan. 16, or the early morning on Monday, Jan. 17. The family member told police that they woke up to Lopez touching them inappropriately.
When asked if this was the family member's first time being assaulted by Lopez, they told police it had been happening for three or four months.
According to the affidavit, Reinink received a report from the Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare (IDHW) stating that Lopez had seen a psychotherapist on Jan. 19. According to the therapist, Lopez admitted he was under investigation for sexually abusing a family member.
Lopez turned himself into police on Jan. 23, 2022 and was booked into the Bonner County Jail three counts of Lewd Conduct with a Minor Child Under 16 Years Old and two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child Under the Age of 16 Years Old.
As of Jan. 26, 2022, Lopez is still in custody. His bond is set at $150,000.