Copyright by WPRI - All rights reserved Photo courtesy of the New Bedford Standard-Times

Copyright by WPRI - All rights reserved Photo courtesy of the New Bedford Standard-Times

Shaun Towne; Reporting by Madeleine Wright - NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) -- A 26-year veteran of the New Bedford Police Department faced a judge Friday on charges he abused a young girl.

According to court documents, Canine Officer Jean Gomes is accused of assaulting a 10-year-old girl over a three-year period.

Gomes, 58, is suspended without pay. A Bristol County Grand Jury indicted him Thursday on three charges of indecent assault and battery on a child.

Court documents said Gomes knew the girl, and that her mother had a restraining order against him. The alleged assaults happened between January of 2011 and July of 2014, according to the documents.

The nature of the abuse is not known at this time.

On Friday, Gomes was arraigned on the charges and his bail was set at $25,000. The judge ordered him to have no contact with the victim.

If convicted, Gomes faces a potential life sentence, with a minimum of ten years in prison. He's due back in court Feb. 25 for a pretrial conference.