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Former Bellevue police officer arrested a third time

John Kivlin was arrested Tuesday for the third time in five months, all related to the same woman he met on Craigslist.
Former Bellevue police officer John Kavlin is under arrest again for violating a protection order and witness tampering.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story suggested the victim's text messages suggested two members of Bellevue Police sexually assaulted her. Although the text messages mention both officers, they mention only the detective of committing a crime, which is being investigated by the King County Sheriff's Office. She later reported the alleged assault involving Chief Mylett to Bothell PD.

A former Bellevue police officer is under arrest again for violating a protection order and witness tampering. It's yet another setback against John Kivlin, 48, one of three Bellevue officers under investigation for misconduct involving the same woman.

Kivlin walked into court Thursday at the Regional Justice Center in Kent, appearing in jail scrubs before the judge.

He faces seven charges, including assault, tampering with a witness, and violation of a protection order.

"We're prepared to enter a plea of not guilty -- pleas of not guilty," said Jeff Cohen, Kivlin's attorney.

This week, the King County Sheriff's Office arrested Kivlin for the third time in five months, all related to the same woman he met on Craigslist, according to court documents.

The demise of their extra-marital relationship led to the demise of his career. When the woman tried to end their relationship in April, she told detectives he punched her in the face twice.

Last Friday, Kivlin, who was out on bail, allegedly texted her 13 messages, ignoring a no-contact order.

"I know I shouldn't contact you but I need to see you," one of the messages read. "I'm packing up my house for sale next week. My divorce is pending, and I've lost my job. I know I don't deserve your compassion, but I'm asking for it because of what we had."

After she reported the messages to police, a King County SWAT team arrived at his Gig Harbor apartment Tuesday evening and peacefully took him into custody.

During the three-month investigation into Kivlin, detectives discovered text messages between the two suggesting the woman had sexual relations with other members of the Bellevue Police Department who she also met online.

A source with direct knowledge of the investigation said she's accused two of them of rape.

One of them is a detective who is now on leave, who said their sexual contact was consensual.

She claimed the other was Chief Steve Mylett, who was placed on leave two weeks ago. She suggested his identity in her text messages to Kivlin.

"It's your boss boss," she texted Kivlin, according to investigative documents obtained through public disclosure.

"My chief?" Kivlin asked.

"Like Swedish only has one CEO," she wrote.

Chief Mylett vehemently denies knowing who the woman is. With Bothell Police still investigating the allegations against him, Mylett declined further comment. But he told KING 5 in early August, "I never once violated my marriage vows. I would not jeopardize my relationship with my wife nor my children. I would never offend my God."

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