A one-time volunteer Santa for a Michigan sheriff’s department is accused of a brutal kidnapping and rape.

Police say John Curcio II kidnapped a woman, imprisoned and raped her.

WNEM reports:

Prosecutors are accusing Curcio of kidnapping and violent sexual assault.

“He’s come over and visited a couple of times. He just didn’t seem like the type of guy to me that could do something like that,” the neighbor said.

The Arenac County Prosecutor’s Office claims Curcio restrained and confined his female victim. He allegedly had sexual acts with her, sexual acts so violent that the victim needed to be hospitalized.

“We’re pretty surprised,” says Don McIntyre, the Arenac County Undersheriff.

Police say Curcio played the role of Santa Claus for the sheriff’s department “Shop with a Cop” program.

According to the undersheriff, Curcio passed his background check “with flying colors.”

“He had no previous history of anything like that,” McIntyre tells the news station.

He says Curcio never came close to children during his volunteering with the department.

“In our program Santa Claus is in a room full of cops the entire time. Nobody’s kids were put in any risk or harm as far as their contact while they were at the event,” McIntyre says.

“The victim was not a child. There are some things that would kind of provide a little bit more ease of mind for some of those parents. However they can’t be talked about at this point because the case is still in the process.”

WNEM reports Curcio is charged with eight felonies: Six counts of criminal sexual conduct along with a kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment charge.

According to the Arenac County Independent, Curcio was denied bond and is housed at the Arenac County Jail.