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Police: Former Mesa officer accused of child molestation

Posted at 8:23 PM, Jan 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-09 16:28:38-05

A 63-year-old Utah sheriff's deputy has been arrested after being accused in Arizona of sexual conduct with a minor.

The Utah County Sheriff's Office says Deputy Gerald Salcido was placed on unpaid administrative leave after being charged in Arizona's Maricopa County on allegations of sexual conduct with a minor and molestation of a child.

The Sheriff's Office says Orem police arrested Salcido on Friday and that he was booked into a jail outside of Utah County.

According to Mesa police, Salcido had previously worked as an officer for the department from 1980 to 1986. 

Police say the original 1995 case had gone cold when detectives did not have enough evidence to move forward with the molestation charges. 

Two juvenile victims had reported to police that they were molested by Salcido in Mesa in 1985. 

According to police, a new witness came forward in September of 2017 which caused the case to reopen. 

After obtaining new information, Mesa detectives followed up with interviews in Utah where they learned "pertinent information" that led them to submit three counts of sexual conduct with a minor charges to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. 

After the charges were accepted, a warrant was issued for Salcido's arrest. 

He is now pending extradition to Arizona for the charges.