A Lincoln police officer was arrested on Thursday, accused of a long-term pattern of sexual abuse involving four children, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Officials said the investigation began on June 23, when four victims reported being sexually abused years earlier by 52-year-old Timothy Jaekel. The victims are all related to Jaekel, officials said. The sheriff’s office said the victims reported being inappropriately touched by Jaekel between the ages of 8 and 16, and in one case, he asked one of them for nude photos when she was a juvenile. The four victims also reported seeing Jaekel inappropriately touch others, officials said. “We’re supposed to be the protectors,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re supposed to be the ones catching the bad guys, not being the bad guys.”In a statement, the Lincoln Police Department said Jaekel was placed on administrative leave when the allegations were reported in June, and the department has not been provided any details of the sheriff’s office investigation. The police department said it is fully cooperating with the sheriff’s office and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office as it relates to the criminal investigation. Jaekel was taken into custody on Thursday and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail for lewd acts with a child under 14. He is currently ineligible for bail. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

LINCOLN, Calif. —

A Lincoln police officer was arrested on Thursday, accused of a long-term pattern of sexual abuse involving four children, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said the investigation began on June 23, when four victims reported being sexually abused years earlier by 52-year-old Timothy Jaekel.

The victims are all related to Jaekel, officials said.

The sheriff’s office said the victims reported being inappropriately touched by Jaekel between the ages of 8 and 16, and in one case, he asked one of them for nude photos when she was a juvenile.

The four victims also reported seeing Jaekel inappropriately touch others, officials said.

“We’re supposed to be the protectors,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re supposed to be the ones catching the bad guys, not being the bad guys.”

In a statement, the Lincoln Police Department said Jaekel was placed on administrative leave when the allegations were reported in June, and the department has not been provided any details of the sheriff’s office investigation.

The police department said it is fully cooperating with the sheriff’s office and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office as it relates to the criminal investigation.

Jaekel was taken into custody on Thursday and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail for lewd acts with a child under 14. He is currently ineligible for bail.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel