Marine recruiter arrested following sexual assault allegations by a high school student

A Marine recruiter has been arrested following allegations that he sexually assaulted a high school student in Huntington Beach, California, reports the Los Angeles Times.

A former Marina High School student filed a sexual assault report against Sgt. Gonzalo Castro with Huntington Beach Police Department, per a news release.

The victim, who was a 17-year-old student at the time, alleges that Castro assaulted her during an off-campus training run with the track and field team.

Sgt. Gonzalo Castro served as a Marine Corps recruiter at Ocean View and Marina high schools, and volunteered as a track and field coach at Marina. 

Capt. Chad Hill, deputy public affairs officer for the 12th Marine Corps District, told LA Times that Castro will not be interacting with any applicants at the Costa Mesa recruiting office where he works while police investigate.

“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 Marine Corps is about.”

Castro posted bond and was released, LA Times reported.

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