A Harris County sheriff's deputy has been arrested and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a minor, according to court records. Alexander Cowley, 40, appeared in probable cause court Thursday, a day after his arrest. His bond was set at $500,000.
Court records allege the abuse began in 2016, when the girl 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 the criminal case.
During the hearing, a judge said some statements in the allegations made Cowley a flight risk. According to court documents, Cowley allegedly said he would flee to England if arrested. Information presented at the hearing indicated this was his first arrest. Texas Commission on Law Enforcement records show he joined the sheriff's office as a jailer in 2015 and became a deputy in 2017.
ABC13's count puts the number of Harris County sheriff's deputies arrested this year at at least six.