The sexual abuse case against a former police officer and an unsuccessful 2006 candidate for sheriff and scheduled for trial this week has been continued.

Kevin Owens, who was 39 when arrested in 2007, faces charges of sexual abuse, rape, sodomy and intimidating a witness in two separate incidents with two separate victims. The arrest stemmed from allegations that he engaged in sexual intercourse with a female by forcible compulsion and subjected a child under the age of 12 to sexual conduct

District attorney Greg Gambril said Friday the case was expected to begin Wednesday before Judge Ashley McKathan; however, he said Monday, the case was continued until September.

“There is always the possibility it could be specially set in August, but we’ll have to wait until sometime in the future to know,” Gambril said.

He said in light of other obligations, the continuance was granted at the “mutual request” of both the defense and the prosecution, making the decision to continue an “obvious” one.

Gambril said the defense had other legal obligations in another state and cited his office’s involvement in the ongoing sexual abuse case against Robert Lolley, which began Monday, for the continuation. Lolley is charged with one count each of first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse.

Assistant District Attorney ChaLea Tisdale is lead prosecutor on the case, and as of Monday afternoon, opening statements had begun.