A Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton was arrested Thursday by a state internet crimes task force after allegedly contacting minors for sex while working as a recruiter, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
The 32-year-old staff sergeant was booked into Vista jail on suspicion of contacting minors for the purpose of sex, possession of child sexual abuse material and sending harmful matter to minors.
The investigation began in February when the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a criminal report regarding the staff sergeant, who had been assigned to work in Fresno as a recruiter for the Marine Corps where he interacted with minors who were interested in enlisting, the sheriff’s office said in a release.
The Marine allegedly sent “inappropriate digital images to a potential female recruit,” the sheriff’s office said.
As the investigation progressed, detectives discovered there were similar allegations involving two other girls, the sheriff’s office said.
The task force worked with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to coordinate the Marine’s arrest.
In a statement to the Union-Tribune, the I Marine Expeditionary Force said it “fully cooperated with the investigation.”
“We expect our Marines to always uphold the highest standards and take any allegation of misconduct seriously,” the organization said.
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