A former sheriff’s dispatcher who played Santa Claus for preschool children in central Kansas’ Marion County is accused of sexually attacking an 8-year-old girl.

KWCH-TV reports that prosecutors have charged 46-year-old Kenneth Newell of McPherson with 13 counts involving sexual misconduct.

Newell’s Dec. 23 arrest was revealed Monday night to Marion County commissioners.

The sheriff says the county may have to continue paying $30 a day to keep Newell jailed in McPherson County because he’s too familiar about operations of the Marion jail.

A message left Tuesday with Newell’s attorney, Steve Atherton of Emporia, was not immediately returned.