A 32-year-old Marine arrested Thursday and booked into jail in Vista is facing multiple felony charges of contacting minors for the purpose of sex, officials said.
Philip Rodriguez was taken into custody on base at Camp Pendleton by members of the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in connection to an investigation that began in February, when he was serving as a military recruiter in Fresno.
Investigators say a criminal report was filed during that time against Rodriguez, whose duties then included working with potential recruits who were minors and that in that capacity, he sent "inappropriate digital images" to one of them. Law enforcement officials said in a news release sent out Friday that the situation involving that teen was not an isolated incident and there were at least two more underage girls in addition to the first victim.
Since then, Rodriguez was reassigned to Camp Pendleton, where detectives from the task force coordinated with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to take him into custody.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Officials said Rodriguez, who faces felony charges of contacting minors for the purpose of sex, possession of child sexual abuse material and sending harmful matter to minors, was released after posting bond. He is scheduled to appear in court in Fresno on Nov. 25.
Anybody with information about the case is being urged to call the Fresno sheriff's department at (559) 760-6282. Tips can also be sent in anonymously to Crime Stoppers here.
