Alabama attorney general, Spanish Fort Police chief address arrest of HSI agent on multiple child sex abuse charges

Video above: Spanish Fort Police Department addresses Homeland Security agent Kent Blacklidge's arrest SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WKRG) — Spanish Fort Police Chief John Barber and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall spoke today about the arrest and pending prosecution of Homeland Security agent Kent Blacklidge. Blacklidge turned himself in to the Baldwin County Jail Saturday, Sept. 5, on multiple child sex abuse charges in relation to a report made Jan. 11. He is charged with first-degree rape, second-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, second-degree sodomy, two counts of first-degree sex abuse, and two counts of second-degree sex abuse and incest. 'The fundamental responsibility of law enforcement is to protect our community and pursue justice for victims of crime,' Barber said. 'We have a duty and moral obligation to investigate allegations of crime fairly, thoroughly and without regard to who the perpetrator may or may not be.' Barber said his department received a report Jan. 11 of child sexual abuse involving a juvenile female. 'It was quickly determined the alleged perpetrator in this case was Kent Blacklidge, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations,' Barber said. He credited the victim for coming forward and reporting the crime. 'It takes an unbelievable amount of courage and strength for a victim in these types of crimes to come forward,' he said. 'I commend our victim for having that resolve.' He said despite the accused being in law enforcement, officers investigated the case as they would any other case. 'As with any case involving child sexual abuse, they take a tremendous amount of time to investigate and additional resources that are very specific to these types of crimes,' he said. 'Our investigators, the district attorney's office and later the attorney general's office conducted interviews, collected evidence and investigated this case to the fullest.' He said he wanted people to understand that Blacklidge's alleged actions should not reflect all law enforcement. Attorney General Steve Marshall echoed Barber's comments. 'That's why today is so disappointing to have to identify … one of those who wore the badge as someone who broke the law,' he said. He said it was particularly disheartening because Blacklidge specifically investigated child exploitation cases. The attorney general's office is prosecuting the case because of a conflict of interest with the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office. 'It is not because Bob Wilter's team is not willing to prosecute,' he said. 'They have a specific conflict here because this particular defendant is a witness in some of their cases.' He said it is not unusual for a district attorney's office to recuse itself from cases because of issues like that. 'With HSI, (Blacklidge) was directly involved with child exploitation cases, working with these cases and raising awareness,' Marshall said. 'That's why it's so profoundly disappointing and frankly disgusting that we stand here today and tell you that we charged him with (acts inconsistent) with what his primary responsibilities were.' Marshall said he has not seen the bond order yet, but that Blacklidge is being held on $100,000 bond for each of the class A charges, $50,000 for each class B charge, and $20,000 for each of the class C charges. Additionally, if he makes bond, he will be placed on electonic monitoring, confined to his home and will have no contact with the victim or anyone under age of 18.Submit Correction Δ