Teen accuses Marine recruiter of sexual misconduct



SEATTLE -- King County prosecutors are deciding whether or not to charge a Marine recruiter over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with an Eastside high school student seeking to join the Marines, The Seattle Times reported. A military investigation did not result in any charges and the recruiter kept his job after a temporary suspension.

The student, a prospective recruit, told detectives she sexually fondled the recruiter at his insistence while they were riding in a car last fall and had two other sexual contacts with him at a local recruiting office, according to an incident report obtained by the Times. The student reported feeling pressured to take part in the misconduct to get a position in the Marines.

The recruiter has denied all allegations against him, but investigators found the student's story credible, a King County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman told the Times. Prosecutors are trying to determine whether the recruiter's alleged actions violated a state law prohibiting adults in supervisory positions from sexual contact with someone 16 or 17 years old.

Read more from the Times story here.