A Marine Corps recruiter has been arrested after allegedly having sex with an underage student, according to a news release from the Winter Haven Police Department.

Marine Sgt. Joshua T. Mann, 26, was charged with two counts of sexual activity with a teenage student he was trying to recruit.

Winter Haven detectives visited the recruiting officer where Mann works after being notified by the Bartow Police Department that a 17-year-old student at Bartow High School was overheard telling another student about the alleged sexual encounters. The incident was reported to a teacher who then informed the school resource officer, according to the news release.

The student told detectives that she met Mann in February at Bartow High School where Mann was engaged in his recruiting duties. Mann kept in touch with the victim because she would be eligible to enlist at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year.

Mann began the process to have the student take the ASVAB and the initial strength test in May 2017 at the Winter Haven recruiting station.

According to the student, no inappropriate behavior occurred during the initial visit. 

Two subsequent trips ended with two sexual encounters, per the press release.

Mann was arrested and booked into the Polk County Jail following an interview with Winter Haven detectives.


Mackenzie Wolf is an editorial intern for Military Times.

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