Brandon Brenes
By Kelly Doran
Sun staff

A Bethel police officer is being charged after allegedly sexually abusing a woman in December.

Brandon Brenes, age 25 of Batavia, is charged with rape, a first-degree felony, and sexual battery, a third degree felony. He will go to pre-trial on May 12.

On December 28, 2014, a female victim came to Officer Shane Olson of the Amelia Police Department and reported that Brenes did some sexual things to her, Chief Jeff Wood said.

At the time of the incident, the victim was intoxicated and is unsure exactly what happened but knows something happened, Wood said.

After looking into the incident, Olson contacted the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Columbus and an agent came to Amelia and worked with Olson to build the case, Wood said.

The agent and Olson presented the case to the Prosecutor’s Office about a week ago, Wood said. The case went to grand jury, where Brenes was charged with rape and sexual battery.

The village of Bethel is not involved in the investigation, prosecution or defense of Brenes. The village will not comment on the case until the legal proceedings are finished, according to a statement.

“The village of Bethel takes all allegations of criminal wrongdoing against its employees very seriously,” the statement said.

Brenes was put on paid administrative leave Dec. 30 and would have been transferred to unpaid administrative leave after the indictment, Dotson said. However, Brenes resigned on April 30.

“Now that he’s resigned we don’t have to hold that slot for him so it makes it easier to move on,” Dotson said.

The Bethel Police Department now has the chief, the sergeant, one full time officer and four auxiliary officers.

The department currently has no coverage 28 hours a week, which has not increased since Brenes resigned because he has been on leave this year, Dotson said.

The department may hire one or more part time officers this year, Dotson said, but they would have to let the officers know that their jobs may not continue into 2016 depending on funding.