Santa Barbara – According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover, the April 2nd arrest of Deon Kitt, 28, on charges of “sexually assaulting two local high school students”, was just this week made public pursuant to an investigation that has been ongoing since February of this year.
Hoover and the SBSD made this delayed media announcement of Kitt’s arrest because, she reported, there is “the potential that there may be additional victims” who detectives hope will now come forward.
Kitt, reportedly a student at Santa Barbara City College and a resident of the Isla Vista community immediately adjacent to the UCSB campus in Goleta, has been in custody since his arrest, and stands accused of rape by force and/or fear, unlawful oral copulation by force and two counts of rape of an intoxicated or drugged victim. Pending his Santa Barbara Superior Court preliminary hearing, he has been and continues to be held on bail of $400,000 originally set at the time of his arrest.
Because of the nature of the alleged crimes and the age of the alleged victims, no information regarding their identities or the particular circumstances of any encounter with Kitt are being made public at this time. With the investigation into all allegations ongoing, the SBSD is reaching out to the public for any additional information regarding these allegations or other activities involving Kitt. Those with any such information are urged to contact the Isla Vista Foot Patrol detectives at (805) 681-4171.
Photo: courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking
Read more:
Daily Nexus: I.V. resident held on rape charges
EdHat: Isla Vista resident arrested for sexual assault
Santa Maria Times: Man, 28, arrested for sexual assault
