A state worker whose job was to investigate allegations of child abuse was arrested on a charge of sexual abuse of a child, police said.
Nicholas Santos, 34, of Cedar Hill, was being held in the Dallas County jail on a $10,000 bond, records show.
Santos had been an investigator for Texas Child Protective Services since March 2006, said CPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales.
The alleged assault was not related to Santos' work at CPS, said Cedar Hill police Lt. Steve Lafferty. He declined to elaborate on the charge and said the arrest warrant is sealed.
CPS is a division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
People who live near Santos' house in a quiet Cedar hill neighborhood seem stunned.
"It's shocking to hear that," said Elonda Montgomery. "He's a quiet guy."
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"I'm just at a loss for words," added neighbor Tanjla Starks. "You know, me having a 5-year-old who loves to be outside, that's very scary."
A man who identified himself as Santos' roommate said police arrested Santos on Friday and seized his home computer.
CPS suspended Santos after his arrest, Gonzales said.
"We are conducting an internal investigation," Gonzales wrote in an e-mail. "If we determine that these criminal charges are true, he will be fired immediately. There is no place in Child Protective Services for employees who betray the public's trust or who take advantage of young people we are supposed to protect."
