Marine Recruiter Bryan Damone Cunningham Charged With Pimping 14-Year-Old Girl

HEMET, Calif. — Police have arrested a U.S. Marine Corps recruiter on charges of felony pimping and kidnapping and are looking into whether he used sex with a 14-year-old girl to entice potential recruits.

Staff Sgt. Bryan Damone Cunningham, 33, of San Pedro pleaded not guilty to seven felonies last Thursday after police in Orange discovered the teenage girl in a car with Cunningham and two other men. The two men, ages 18 and 19, were potential Marine recruits, police said.

The girl, who has since been returned to her parents in Hemet, told police that she met Cunningham online and had sex with all three men. She also told police Cunningham wanted her to work as a prostitute and had tried to take her to Los Angeles County against her will.

Police said they are trying to determine if Cunningham may have been using the girl to entice Marine recruits.

"It's not proven ... but when you look at it, this is a grown man, a Marine staff sergeant," said Hemet police Lt. Joe Nevarez. "Why would he be taking them out to have sex with a 14-year-old girl?"

Cunningham's attorney, Dane Levy, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.

The two potential Marine recruits face felony charges on having sex with a minor.

Cunningham is being held on $1 million bail and has a court hearing June 18, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorney's office.

Hemet is east-southeast of Los Angeles.

Comments

[Rmath]

Why does "Semper Fi" have to be inconsistent with respect for women?

The few..the proud..the enterprising.

[justmeinAz]

if you are going to spread the blame for this individuals act across every person in the Marines, then I guess all students are responsible for the Columbine shootings, and all women are guilty every time a crack-addicted teen dumps her baby in a garbage bin. I guess the next time anyone that you associate with at work gets charged with a crime, then you should be hauled off to jail, too. See where your logic leads?

[jrl187]

100% of women in the military face constant sexual harassment and 33% will be sexually assulted at some point in their military careers. I agree that organizations are indeed composed of individuals - some good and some bad - however there must be a point where a reasonable person must conclude the military has major systemic issues with women.

[normathumb]

It isn't just the marines or the service in general. It is the fabric of life everywhere.

[BR549guy]

This is what our country's law enforcement potential consists of? Not only do we have one cop getting caught in the act of taking panty cam shots of a little girl at a fair, now we have the Marines running an escort service with underage schoolgirls. What's next?

And these people are expecting us to respect their "authority"? Lock 'em all up.

[justmeinAz]

As stated above, I guess that means the next time someone at your place of work is charged with a crime, whether you knew them or not, you should be held accountable, too. That appears to be your logic - guilt by random association. Would you enjoy people looking at you like a dirt bag because someone who works for the same company as you got caught doing something similar? I bet you'd think it very unfair if it was happening to you. I bet you'd think, "hey, what did I do? I didn't even know the guy!"

[Gidster]

He represented the entire Corps! His actions made EVERY Marine look bad, his dishonor is shared amongst the Corps.

We all know this was an individual, no one is blaming the entire Marine Corps, or calling the entire Corps on the carpet for this one act, but the Sergeant knew when he put on his uniform that day, that he and his actions were a reflection on the Corps itself.

The fact that you take such personal outrage shows dedication, but do not aim it at those that shine the light on the misdeeds, save it for Staff Sgt. Cunningham.

[berryessence]

HE NEEDS TO BE UNDER THE JAIL!

He doesn't deserves to wear those SSG Stripes

He EARNED to wear black/white jumpsuits forget the orange

[who38]

He will get off just like those other Marine who shot the civilians in Iraq and were "tried for their crimes." Everyone of them was acquitted; at least one, who pled guilty by reason of insanity, has petitioned to be returned to active duty.