REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- The former president of the Belmont Chamber of Commerce, who was accused of molesting his girlfriend's young daughter a decade ago, was acquitted Friday of all charges, San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

A jury found Michael Kazarian, 51, not guilty of 15 counts of child molestation, two counts of child molestation by threat or force, and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14.

Kazarian had been in custody since being arrested in May 2009 after his girlfriend's daughter told her mother of the alleged abuse, which she said occurred from November 1999 to February 2002, beginning when the girl was 8, Wagstaffe said.

Both Kazarian and the alleged victim, now 18, testified during the trial, which started in February.

"We felt that we had a case supported by the evidence, but respect the jury's conclusion that the evidence didn't rise to the 'beyond a reasonable doubt' level," Wagstaffe said.

Kazarian, who could have landed a sentence of more than 20 years in prison if he had been convicted, was released from custody this afternoon, according to Wagstaffe.