Underage BDSM sexual assault leads to gun arrest, 80 firearms found

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (KION-TV)-- On Thursday the Monterey County Sheriff's Detectives served a search warrant in Sheppard's Knoll to investigate the sexual assault of a 17-year-old victim.

Michael Abbott, 55 of Pebble Beach, allegedly entered a B.DS.M (Bondage/Discipline/Submission/ Masochism) relationship with the victim against their will, where the victim was coerced into being the submissive partner, according to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

Abbott met the female victim on social media and enrolled her in an online submissive training course and met her several times for sexual encounters.

Abbott was a former Salinas Police officer who last served 25 years ago.

Abbott was arrested and taken into custody without incident into Monterey County Jail.

When conducting a search of Abbott's home 80 firearms and over 50,000 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of magazines for various firearms were found.

“We knew we might run into firearms because we knew the suspect’s history. That’s why we used the SWAT team to serve the search warrant," John Thornburg, Chief Deputy of the Monterey County Sherriff's office said.

Some neighbors said that they were alarmed to hear a bull horn around four in the morning repeating the request for Abbott to leave his home with his arms up.

They said they watched as officers came in and out of Abbott's condo, retrieving multiple things such as a filing cabinet.

Those in the community who knew him said that they knew he was a gun enthusiast, and would consistently talk about how much he loved guns.

Some of the people who lived in his building said that they thought Abbott was a nice man and after years of knowing him, never knew him to have a problem with others.

Some said they were shocked to hear officials were making an arrest because of sexual assault allegations.

Others said they were upset because they had never been informed of what was happening in the community.

Monterey County Sheriff's office is actively searching for other possible victims of Abbott's.

“Our experience has shown that it is not uncommon for there to be more than one victim, so we are reaching out," said Chief Deputy Thornburg. "We will dive into that investigation, see what we can figure out and if its there. We will do everything we can."

The firearms were taken due to the suspect's prescription narcotics addiction and the restraining order that was issued to him in this case, according to law enforcement.

This made it illegal for Abbott to own firearms and ammunition.

Abbott was in court Monday and entered a not guilty plea.

He is expected back in court next Tuesday, March 9.