Truckee CHP Officer Arrested, Accused Of Sex Acts Against Minor
TRUCKEE (CBS13/AP) - A California Highway Patrol officer was arrested earlier this week on accusations committed sex acts on a minor at the officer's home.
Robert C. Holland, 46, was arrested Tuesday by CHP officers after they served a search warrant at his Loyalton home, an officer with the CHP's Truckee office where Holland was assigned confirmed on Friday. They also seized his phone and computer.
"I just heard about it. My son called me at the bakery and said, 'Mom, did you hear about Bob?' And I'm devastated for his family," said neighbor Vicki Barney.
Holland, a 15-year veteran of the CHP, resigned on Wednesday. He was Loyalton's resident patrol officer until that position was eliminated in 2003, at which point he was transferred to the Truckee office.
"It saddens us when we're in a situation of arresting one of our own officers," CHP Capt. Timothy Malone said in a press conference Friday. "We hope that it is not a reflection on the 11,000 employees that work for the California Highway Patrol that do an outstanding job."
Holland is charged with four felony counts of sex crimes and one misdemeanor against a female juvenile at the Loyalton residence, which is in Sierra County. The charges include two counts of oral copulation with a child under 18 and one count of sexual penetration with a foreign object.
Malone said results of the internal investigation will be forwarded to the Sierra County District Attorney's Office. The arrest followed allegations brought to the agency's attention.
While the CHP typically doesn't investigate sex crimes, Malone says the Sierra County Sheriff's Office asked his division to lead the investigation. Malone is the commander of the CHP's Truckee office.
Locals say Holland reconciled with his wife after a brief separation.
"Well, they've had lots of problems in the past, philandering and stuff like that," said Barney.
Eyebrows were raised when neighbors say the Hollands took in a troubled teen girl over the summer.
"The girl moved into their home," said Barney.
However, CHP won't release the age or gender of the alleged victim, but say she is not a relative.
Holland was booked into the Nevada County Jail, and was still being held there Friday on $500,000 bail.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
