A Harris County sheriff's deputy has been arrested and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a minor, ABC13 reported, citing court records. Alexander Cowley, 40, appeared in probable cause court Thursday night after his arrest the previous night, and his bond was set at $500,000. Court records allege the abuse of a teenage relative began in 2016, when she was 13, and continued for many years. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said Cowley is assigned to its Critical Incident Response Team and has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his criminal proceedings. Court documents also attribute statements to him that the judge said made him a flight risk. Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records show he joined the office as a jailer in 2015 and became a deputy in 2017.
Why it matters
The charge is an allegation that has not been proven in court. ABC13 counts at least six Harris County sheriff's deputies arrested this year.
Charged: Prosecutors filed criminal charges. A charge is not proof of guilt, and the person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.