Ex-Marine recruiter pleads guilty to sex charges

A former Marine recruiter pleaded guilty to three felonies Monday in connection with sexual activities involving a 15-year-old girl.

Trevor Adam Hooper, 26, of Centerville, entered guilty pleas to two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a first-degree felony, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony. Eleven other counts against him were dismissed.

Third District Judge Randall Skanchy ordered a pre-sentence report and set a sentencing date of Jan. 11, 2010.

Hooper met the girl in March at her Salt Lake County high school while he was working as a Marine recruiter, according to court documents. He had various sexual contacts with the girl throughout April and made videotapes and took still pictures of some acts, according to law enforcement officials.

Police said the situation came to light when the girl's father, suspicious about her sneaking into the house one night, rummaged through her backpack and found a memory card with images of her and a man engaged in sexual activity. After police interviewed the girl, they found Hooper, talked to him and arrested him.

Since Hooper's initial contact with the girl was through his capacity as a recruiter for the Marines at her school and because the girl was underage, prosecutors maintained Hooper held a position of special trust with the girl and she could not legally consent to any sexual activity.

Hooper has served in Iraq and was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal. U.S. Marine Sgt. Damian McGee said Hooper has been "administratively separated" from the Marine Corps and has been given an "other than honorable discharge."

— Linda Thomson