BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On May 5, Marc Lugo was arrested by the Kern County Sheriff's Office after it was discovered that he was allegedly having explicit conversations with a 15-year-old girl through Instagram.
- According to the Bakersfield Police Department, Marc Lugo has been with them for 13 years.
- Lugo was arrested and booked into jail on multiple charges, including Contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, Possession of obscene material depicting a minor, and Use or possession of obscene sexual material involving a minor.
- Lugo made bail on May 5 and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Kern County Superior Court on May 28.
Detective Marc Lugo part of the Bakersfield Police Department has been placed on administrative leave after being arrested for allegedly engaging in online sexual communication with a minor said to be 15-years-old.
According to a release from the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the arrest was made with their Special Victims Unit in collaboration with the US Secret Service and Homeland Security after a cyber tip was sent from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The tip identified an Instagram account that had engaged in explicit communications with a 15-year-old girl from South Carolina.
That account was traced to 35-year-old Marc Lugo, a detective with the Bakersfield Police Department, it was also revealed that Lugo had allegedly encouraged the minor to send explicit material.
Lugo was arrested on Monday.
"This unfortunately is again shocking, disturbing in a variety of ways but not reflective at all of the men and women that work here,” said Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry. "One of the reasons we’re talking about this very openly, demonstrating transparency, talking about it head on, it’s so the community can understand what has taken place."
The release says Lugo was booked on multiple charges, including contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, possession of obscene material depicting a minor, and use or possession of obscene sexual material involving a minor.
Chief Terry says that although KCSO is the lead investigator, BPD is conducting their internal investigation.
"That's focusing on the employee's behavior and conduct that may or may not violate any department policies and procedures,” said Chief Terry. “There's a variety those that govern how they work, conduct unbecoming, violations of the law."
Detective Lugo was released after posting bail on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Kern County Superior Court on May 28th.
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