Sheriff Deputy Pleads to Oral Copulation with Minor

A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy pleaded no contest today at the Long Beach courthouse to a felony sex-related charge involving a 16-year-old female relative.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Romero immediately sentenced 35- year-old Orlando Denison to one year in county jail and five years probation, and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Denison entered his plea to one felony count of oral copulation of a person under 18. A second identical count was dismissed as a result of his plea. The offense occurred in July 2010 at his Long Beach home.

Denison, 34 at the time of his arrest last May, was charged with two felony counts of oral copulation of a person under 18 in connection with alleged crimes against a female relative, who was 16 when the offenses reportedly occurred, the D.A.'s Office said.

The criminal complaint alleged that the crimes occurred between July 16 and 17, 2011. Denison was arrested at his residence by Long Beach police, and was jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail. Had he been convicted of both charges, Denison would have faced up to three years and eight months in state prison, the D.A.'s Office said last year.

A plea agreement and conviction means the victim will not have to testify.

Proceedings have begun to terminate him from the sheriff's department, authorities said.

--City News Service contributed to this story.