LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- A Jeffersontown firefighter was arrested at his firehouse and accused of some very serious crimes. Police say he raped a woman and sexually abused a child. WAVE 3's Shayla Reaves reports the case has been under investigation for more than a year.
Usually, he's out protecting the public but now police are protecting the public from firefighter Keith Dickerson.
"None of us took any joy in what we had to do yesterday," said Col. Kim Weber of the Jeffersontown Police.
Wednesday afternoon, Jeffersontown Police obtained a warrant and arrested Dickerson at the fire station where he worked. The arrest came after more than a year-long investigation into a rape claim by a woman who knew him.
"They were basically on a date as I understand it. They were friends and evidently one thing led to another," said Weber."We're basically talking about date rape."
Jeffersontown Police aren't the only ones looking for answers from Dickerson. According to the indictment, he's charged with distributing obscene material to a minor, incest, sodomy and sex abuse of a girl, under 12 years old. It is a case Louisville Metro Police have been handling since last May. Chief Jack Reckner of the Jeffersontown Fire Protection District says he learned of the investigation after Dickerson got an unusual delivery this March.
"He was served with an emergency protective order, which rang alarm bells for us because it was literally delivered here at the fire station at midnight," Reckner said.
The fire district hired a private investigator, but limited access to documents made it hard to get answers. That is until Wednesday when Jeffersontown Police moved in.
"It's a tough situation, nobody holds more respect for firefighters than police do. The only thing that would have been tougher is if it had been one of our own," Weber said.
"It's painful to the fire district to have this type of situation because we work hard to protect our good reputation and our good name and our good standing in the community," says Reckner.
Dickerson is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections on a $45,000 full cash bond.