An Anne Arundel County sheriff’s deputy was arrested Wednesday ands charged with a child sex abuse felony, according to the county Police Department.

Anthony Nickoles Jr., 42, is being held without bail at the Jennifer Road Detention Center after being taken into custody without incident in Annapolis, according to a news release.

In an interview Thursday, Sheriff Everett Sesker said his office coordinated with county police to arrest Nickoles at an office facility. But their involvement began at the onset of the investigation, Sesker said, when they forwarded the first accusation to county detectives.

“We’ve been working with them, trying to provide any information they may need or answer questions they may have,” Sesker said. “Everything came together.”

Unlike some jurisdictions in the state, the Anne Arundel County Sheriff’s Office is not responsible for criminal investigations and most kinds of police work. Their primary function is to serve legal paperwork and warrants, and provide security at the county’s circuit court.

A spokesperson said Nickoles has worked for the county sheriff’s office for 19 years and was part of its Civil Process Unit, meaning he served legal documents, including those for criminal summonses, court appearances and divorce papers.

He has been suspended without pay, Sesker said.

“When complaints come in, we need to ensure it’s handled at the highest level possible … and that’s what took place,” Sesker said. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. He will have his day in court. But there will be no preferential treatment. We will conduct our business with him as we will with any other citizen.”

According to charging documents, county police were made aware of an accusation earlier this month and conducted an interview with the alleged victim about a week later.

The alleged victim described two interactions with Nickoles between the summer and winter of 2016. At the time, the alleged victim was younger than 13, police said.

Court records show Nickoles has been charged with sex abuse of a minor and a third-degree sex offense, both of which are felonies, as well as two counts each of second-degree assault and fourth-degree sex offense.

As of Thursday afternoon, an attorney has not yet been assigned to represent Nickoles. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 23 in the Annapolis District Court.

Have a news tip? Contact Luke Parker at lparker@baltsun.com, 410-725-6214 and x.com/@lparkernews.