A Marine based at Camp Pendleton in Southern California has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who had been missing for over two weeks. The girl was found in the Marine's barracks on June 28, according to a statement from Capt. Charles Palmer of the 1st Marine Logistics Group. The Marine has been charged with sexual assault of a minor and violating liberty restriction from a prior unrelated case.

The identity of the Marine has not been disclosed, and the military declined to provide any further details about the case, including how the Marine met the teenager, how she got onto the base, and how long she spent in the barracks. The teenager, who has learning disabilities, had been reported missing by her grandmother on June 13, four days after she ran away from home. The San Diego County Sheriff's Office stated that the girl had a history of running away but would usually return after a few days.

The teenager was discovered at the base, located 40 miles north of San Diego, and was released to her grandmother. Her grandmother accused the Marine of raping the girl while she was on the base. Other relatives publicly speculated that she was sold by a sex trafficker. The girl's aunt, Casaundra Perez, accused the military of attempting to cover up the alleged rape and blamed the entire base camp for allowing it to happen. She claimed that security failed to prevent the Marine from bringing a minor onto the base, where he then sexually assaulted her.

The Marine was initially taken into custody by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services for questioning in early July but was later released back to his command. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and authorities will decide whether the Marine will face a court-martial after a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 17.

This incident follows another case involving a Marine Corps recruiter, Staff Sgt. Mason H. Wallace, who was charged with sexually assaulting a high school student. The recruiter allegedly used the victim's interest in joining the military to establish a relationship, sending her explicit messages during the recruitment process.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force are assisting in the investigation, which is also being supported by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services. Authorities have urged anyone with information about trafficking to contact local police.