In July, Ellis County authorities asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to open an investigation into a Woodward police detective accused of child sexual abuse. After investigating for about a month, the OSBI arrested Detective Patrick Gandara, a 23-year veteran of law enforcement who was just promoted in May.

Now, the detective has been charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child.

Reports say the charges come from separate incidents. Investigators allege the sexual abuse took place between September 2011 and March 2012 and between April 2012 and February 2013. Investigators accuse the detective of kissing and touching inappropriately a girl under the age of 12.

Oklahoma law prohibits and penalizes the abuse, neglect, exploitation, and sexual abuse of child in 21 O.S. § 843.5. This statute defines sex abuse as follows:

"[C]hild sexual abuse" means the willful or malicious sexual abuse, which includes but is not limited to rape, incest, and lewd or indecent acts or proposals, of a child under eighteen (18) years of age by another."

According to subsection E of this statute, "Any parent or other person who shall willfully or maliciously engage in child sexual abuse shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding life imprisonment."

However, state law enhances penalties for sexual abuse of a child under 12. Subsection F states that sexual abuse of a child under 12 is punishable by a minimum of 25 years to life in prison.

In all cases, child sexual abuse is a Level 3 sex offense requiring anyone convicted to register as a sex offender for life.