A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison for sexually abusing four girls between the ages of 4 and 13.

Sean Essex, 53, pleaded no contest on Friday to three counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and one count of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14, District Attorney George Gascón said in a news release. The release first said Essex pleaded guilty before an update clarified that he pleaded no contest.

Essex also admitted to taking advantage of a position of trust and to abusing one victim who was “especially vulnerable,” the release said.

One girl was abused in 2006, while the other three were abused between 2013 and 2022.

“The horrific sexual abuse that Mr. Essex inflicted on these young victims has not only violated his oath as a law enforcement officer to protect and serve the community, but also has left these children with life-long trauma,” Gascón said. “Children have an inviolate right to safety and protection. The victims have shown tremendous courage in coming forward to speak about their abuse at the hands of Mr. Essex.”

A 22-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, Essex was working in the Training Bureau prior to his arrest in April 2022.

Now, he will have to register as a sex offender and will be ordered to pay restitution to the victims, though that amount has not been determined yet.

In a statement, the Sheriff’s Department noted that they “immediately opened an Internal Criminal Investigation into the matter” when they learned of the allegations in April 2022, and Essex left the department’s employ in November 2022.

“This individual’s egregious actions do not align with the values upheld by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department or the dedicated law enforcement professionals who serve our communities with pride every day,” the statement said. “The Department sets a standard of the utmost ethical, moral, and professional conduct for all its personnel. Department members who engage in any misconduct, particularly criminal behavior targeting vulnerable populations, will be thoroughly investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”