Marine charged with sexual assault weeks after missing 14-year-old discovered in his Camp Pendleton barracks

A Marine based mostly in California was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old woman who had been lacking for greater than two weeks when she was present in his barracks.

Navy prosecutors slapped the Marine with sexual assault of a minor fees Friday, months after army police discovered the teenager holing up at Camp Pendleton on June 28, Capt. Charles Palmer of the first Marine Logistics Group mentioned in an announcement.

He was additionally charged with violating liberty restriction from an earlier, unrelated case.

Authorities will resolve whether or not he’ll face a court-martial after a preliminary listening to scheduled for Aug. 17.

The army declined to reveal any info on the Marines’ id apart from his gender.

Different particulars — similar to when and the way he met {the teenager}, how she obtained onto the bottom and the way lengthy she spent within the barracks — had been nonetheless saved below wraps.

{The teenager}, who has studying disabilities, had been entered into a number of lacking individuals databases when she was found on the base, positioned 40 miles north of San Diego.

She had run away from residence on June 9, however her grandmother waited one other 4 days to name the police as a result of the teenager had a historical past of escaping the house, based on the San Diego County Sheriff’s Workplace.

This occasion was completely different, nevertheless, because the woman usually returned after just a few quick days, cops mentioned.

She was launched to her grandmother, who accused the Marine of raping the woman whereas she was on the bottom.

Different kinfolk publicly speculated that she was bought by a intercourse trafficker.

“She was discovered within the barracks by army police. She had been bought to a soldier for intercourse,” her aunt Casaundra Perez said in a TikTok video in regards to the case.

Perez accused the army of making an attempt to cowl up the alleged rape of her niece and mentioned that the entire base camp is accountable.

“The truth is the entire facility allowed this to occur,” she mentioned. “The safety appeared her within the face and allowed this man to deliver a minor onto base, the place he then proceeded to have intercourse along with her. Resulting from her age, she couldn’t have given this consent.”

The active-duty Marine was taken into custody by the Naval Prison Investigative Providers for questioning in early July however was launched again to his command because the investigation continued.

How the lacking teen snuck onto the army base additionally stays a thriller — all guests are stopped by Marines on the entrance of the sprawling base and are required to indicate authorization to enter.

Marines are allowed to deliver a customer on base and into the barracks till a sure hour, which varies based on every constructing.

The sexual assault accusations come simply 4 months after a married US Marine Corps recruiter who recommended sexual assault victims was charged with grooming and raping a 16-year-old Long Island girl.

Workers Sgt. Mason H. Wallace, 28, allegedly used the Longwood Excessive Faculty scholar’s curiosity within the army to spark the sick relationship.

The accused rapist despatched {the teenager} wicked messages all through his makes an attempt to assist enlist her within the army, the sufferer mentioned.