A former Marine was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting another service member while stationed at Camp Pendleton, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
A federal grand jury indictment accuses Pedro Javier Orellana, 23, of sexually abusing an active-duty Marine while she was incapacitated on Nov. 2, 2014.
The document describes the alleged victim’s incapacitated state as “incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct or was physically incapable of declining participation in the sex act.” No further details about the case were released.
Orellana surrendered himself to authorities in Laurel, Maryland on Wednesday and made his first federal court appearance. It’s unclear if he has obtained an attorney.
At a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday, a judge will decide if Orellana should be detained as he awaits his transfer back to San Diego.
He faces a charge of sexual abuse of an incapacitated victim, which carries a maximum life sentence.
