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Veteran LAPD Officer Accused of Sending ‘Harmful’ Text Messages to Juvenile

File photo of an LAPD patrol car. (Credit: Chris Yarzab/flickr via Creative Commons)

A veteran Los Angeles Police officer, assigned to work with cadets, was arrested Friday for allegedly sending harmful text messages to a juvenile and destruction of evidence, according to the LAPD.

Abel Montes De Oca was taken into custody after a nearly year-long internal affairs investigation into allegations the nine-year veteran had sent harmful texts to a juvenile, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The investigation began in October 2015, while Montes De Oca was working as a youth services officer with cadets, the release stated.

He was immediately assigned to home pending the outcome of the investigation.

On Friday, Montes De Oca was booked at the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center on suspicion of distribution of harmful matter to a juvenile, child annoying and destruction of evidence, according to the  release.

His bail was set at $250,000.

Investigators did not reveal the content of the text messages.

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