Independence County authorities say a Marines recruiter has been accused of having sex with an underage child.
A warrant was issued for 27-year-old Duncan Quade Weathers for one count of first-degree sexual assault.
Weathers is accused of having sex with the child while working as a recruiter for the Marines.
Monday, Nov. 28, Lieutenant Zach Rawlins spoke with a mother and father about an alleged sexual assault incident that had been committed against their child.
The couple stated the child had been in contact with Weathers while he was at the child’s school promoting a career in the Marines.
The child stated the meeting was sometime between late September and early October.
Authorities say a phone contained nude images of Weathers along with an image of Weathers and the child in the child’s bed.
Weathers admitted to the family that he was having sex with the child and asked them to not contact authorities because “he was going to commit suicide so his wife could receive his military benefits”.
The child also stated to Lieutenant Rawlins that Weathers had told her in the past he wanted his relationship with recruits “to be on more of a friendly basis”.
On Tuesday, Nov. 29, Weathers was interviewed at the Independence County Sheriff’s Office.
When asked about the meeting with the child, he claimed the child was not interested in a career in the Marines. He did not speak further about the incident or any other locations the two met.
A bond for Weathers is expected to be at $20,000.