A 28-year-old sergeant who served as a Marine recruiter at Ocean View and Marina high schools was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old Huntington Beach girl.
The girl, a former Marina High student, filed a report in June with Huntington Beach police alleging that a man who worked as a recruiter and high school volunteer sexually assaulted her this past school year.
Police arrested Gonzalo Castro of San Clemente on suspicion of sexual assault. He later posted bond and was released, authorities said.
The girl, whom authorities did not identify, told police that she met the man when he volunteered with Marina’s track and field team. Police allege the man sexually assaulted her during an off-campus training run.
Castro, who works out of the Marine recruiting office in Costa Mesa, will not interact with any applicants while police investigate the allegations, said Capt. Chad Hill, deputy marketing and public affairs officer for the 12th District.
Hill said that when an allegation of misconduct is made against a Marine, the Corps waits for police to investigate before launching its own investigation.
“This is an isolated incident and is not indicative of Marines as a whole,” Hill said. “We take this seriously, and this is not what the is about.”
A representative of the Huntington Beach Union High School District could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Detectives are looking for possible additional victims in the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Anthony Pham at (714) 536-5973 or apham@hbpd.org. Anonymous tips may be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS (847-6227).
hannah.fry@latimes.com
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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