Marine Accused of Assault Claims Teen Deceived Him
A Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton is facing accusations of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, but his defense team argues that he was deceived by the teenager. The Marine, identified as Private First Class Avery Rosario, claims that the girl lied about her age, leading him to believe she was 21 years old when they engaged in a consensual sexual encounter. The preliminary hearing held on Thursday shed light on the defendant’s side of the story.
According to Rosario’s attorneys, the Marine had a Tinder profile where he met the girl, who used a fictitious name and claimed to be 21 years old in her bio. Her bio even stated, yeahhh ik I look young but hey when I’m 30 I’ll look like I’m in my 20s. The defense asserts that it was the teenager who initially reached out to Rosario on Tinder, initiating a conversation that eventually shifted to Instagram messaging.
The defense further argues that on June 26, the girl suggested staying at Rosario’s house, to which he responded that he lived in the barracks. She then proposed getting a hotel room instead. Reportedly, Rosario planned to pick her up with the assistance of another Marine. The Marine brought her back to the barracks, where, according to the defense, they engaged in consensual sex.
Rosario’s defense team claims that he repeatedly asked the girl about her age, and she consistently responded with 21. Additionally, Rosario’s roommate stated during interviews that he heard no signs of distress or any indication that the encounter was non-consensual.
The defense presented a recorded conversation between Rosario and the girl, which took place between June 26 and June 28, just days before she was found at Camp Pendleton. Notably, the girl had been reported missing by her grandmother on June 13 after running away from home. However, she had a history of quickly returning home after previous instances of running away.
In her missing person report, the girl’s grandmother mentioned that she suspected no foul play but wanted to ensure her granddaughter’s safety. Authorities had entered her information into missing persons databases, including those of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Furthermore, Captain Charles Palmer of the 1st Marine Logistics Group revealed that the defendant faces an additional charge of violating liberty restriction from a prior unrelated matter.
The case has sparked controversy, with members of the girl’s family accusing the military of attempting to cover up the incident. In a TikTok video, her aunt alleged that her niece had been sold for sex to a soldier.
If convicted, Rosario could face a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Military court officials will provide their recommendation regarding whether the case should proceed to a court-martial, where a military jury will decide Rosario’s fate.
