NORTH COAST, Calif. — Mendocino County officials have arrested a Clearlake man following a nearly yearlong investigation into a sexual assault case involving a minor.

Christopher Neil Kiger, 40, was taken into custody on Thursday, according to a report from Sgt. Jason Logan of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.

Logan explained that in July of 2023, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office initiated an investigation into the sexual assault of a minor.

Throughout the nearly year-long investigation, the agency’s detectives established that the suspect, Kiger, had committed multiple acts of sexual abuse against a juvenile victim. These acts included the continuous sexual abuse of a child, lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under the age of 14, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, oral copulation of a minor under 14 and sexual penetration with a foreign object.

Mendocino County Sheriff's detectives learned that Kiger, upon learning of this investigation, fled the state of California to avoid arrest, Logan said.

Logan said this case was submitted to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for consideration of an arrest warrant against Kiger. The case was filed with the Mendocino County Superior Court and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued for Kiger's arrest.

In May, sheriff's detectives learned Kiger had possibly returned to the area. Detectives attempted to locate Kiger in Lake County where he has family members, Logan said.

During these attempts, Logan said sheriff's detectives learned that Kiger knew he was wanted and somehow knew the bail amount of his arrest warrant.

Logan said sheriff's detectives learned that Kiger was avoiding capture until he could obtain the required amount of money for a bail bond. It should be noted that the bail had been set at $425,000, pursuant to the State of California bail schedule for the above offenses.

On Thursday, sheriff's detectives were able to utilize investigative tools to track down and locate Kiger at a remote location on Williams Ranch Road near Willits, where Logan said Kiger was believed to be staying and working on an illegal cannabis operation.

Sheriff's detectives located Kiger, who fled the area on foot into a nearby wooded area. After a short foot pursuit, Logan said sheriff's detectives were able to capture Kiger and take him into custody without any injuries sustained to Kiger or the pursuing detectives.

Kiger was booked into the Mendocino County Jail for the arrest warrant, which included charges of continual sexual abuse of a minor, lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under the age 14, oral copulation of a minor under 14 and penetration with a foreign object with victim under 14, Logan said.

Logan said sheriff's detectives contacted a Mendocino County Superior Court judge and requested an increase for Kiger's bail as a result of his past fleeing of the state of California and his avoidance of being arrested once he returned.

This request was granted and Kiger's bail was set at $1 million, Logan said.