Sanford Heisler Sharp Mcknight Files Federal Tort Claims Act Complaint Against the Marines for Failing to Protect 17-Year-Old Potential Recruit who was Sexually Assaulted and Held Captive by Marine Recruiter for Nearly Six Hours

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight (“Sanford Heisler”) today filed a Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) administrative complaint against the United States Department of the Navy and the United States Marine Corps (collectively “the Marines”) on behalf of Jane Doe, who was repeatedly sexually assaulted over the course of nearly six hours by a Marines recruiter, Jorge Lara-Pedroza, at a Marines recruiting center in Sunnyvale, California. The complaint alleges that the Marines failed to properly hire and supervise Lara-Pedroza and failed to properly implement policies and procedures to prevent recruiters from preying on potential recruits.

Jane Doe is represented in the matter by Christine Dunn, Sanford Heisler’s Managing Partner of the DC Office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Sexual Violence, Title IX, and Victims’ Rights Practice Group, as well as Jillian Seymour, Associate.

The FTCA is a federal statute that permits individuals to bring legal claims against federal agencies for torts committed by their employees. Prior to filing an FTCA complaint in court, the individual must first file an administrative complaint with the agency at fault. The agency is then afforded at least six months to investigate the claim. After that, the individual may file a lawsuit against the agency in federal court.

Today, Sanford Heisler took the first step in the FTCA legal process by filing an administrative complaint against the Marines on behalf of Doe. The complaint alleges that Doe met Lara-Pedroza in the fall of 2024 at a Marines recruiting event at her high school. Lara-Pedroza subsequently arranged for Doe, then a 17-year-old high school senior, to meet him at a Marines recruiting center in Sunnyvale, California, where Doe expected to explore a potential career in the Marines. On the morning of October 28, 2024, Lara-Pedroza met Doe at the recruiting center and led her into his office. Lara-Pedroza thereafter locked his office door and drew the blinds of his office windows. He proceeded to repeatedly sexually assault Doe over the course of approximately six hours in his office, including by forcing her to perform oral sex and forcibly penetrating her for multiple hours. After the assault ended, Lara-Pedroza threatened Doe, warning her that if she reported the attack she would not have a career in the military. Doe immediately reported the assault the following day to her high school principal, who promptly took her to the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety to file a report. Law enforcement from the Sunnyvale Department of Safety subsequently arrested Lara-Pedroza and booked him for oral copulation, penetration with a foreign object, and arranging to meet with a minor with the intent to engage in sexual conduct. Upon information and belief, Lara-Pedroza faced multiple complaints of sexual violence prior to assaulting Doe.

Despite serving as an active-duty sergeant in the Marines at the time of his arrest, Lara-Pedroza never faced a court martial for assaulting Doe. Upon information and belief, the Marines discharged Lara-Pedroza for relatively less serious misconduct that allegedly occurred prior to his assault of Doe, allowing him to avoid an intensive court martial for sexual assault. Lara-Pedroza ultimately accepted a plea deal from the San Jose County District Attorney, which contained no prison sentence and required him to register as a sex offender on California’s Sex Offender Registry. As of the date of this filing, Lara-Pedroza is not publicly listed on the Sex Offender Registry.

The complaint alleges that the Marines’ negligence facilitated Lara-Pedroza’s hours-long sexual assault of Doe. The complaint asserts that, prior to Doe’s assault, the Marines knew that Lara-Pedroza had faced prior complaints of sexual violence but nonetheless allowed him to interact with and recruit from vulnerable populations, such as high school students. Due to the Marines’ failure to properly hire and supervise him in his recruiting duties, the complaint alleges, Lara-Pedroza was able to prey on and sexually harm Doe for hours on Marines’ property. The complaint further alleges that the Marines failed to properly implement policies and procedures to prevent recruiters from taking advantage of potential recruits. According to the complaint, Lara-Pedroza’s sexual assault of Doe was foreseeable given the numerous public reports that have plagued the Marines for decades involving sexual assaults by Marines recruiters, particularly of minors interested in military service.

“What happened to Jane Doe was entirely preventable. If the Marines had properly screened and supervised this recruiter before allowing him to be around teenagers, she could have been spared the extreme harm she suffered. Now she may never have the future in the military that she dreamed of. Military sexual assault is rampant and the armed services need to do better,” said Dunn.

“This is not the first time we’ve seen a Marines recruiter prey on minors and subject them to preventable sexual violence. Our client’s experience proves that the Marines continues to drop the ball on this issue. A Marines recruiter holding a 17-year-old captive and repeatedly sexually assaulting her on Marines property, for almost an entire work day, is a wake-up call that these young potential recruits are not safe,” said Seymour.

Sanford Heisler is currently representing multiple other victims of sexual misconduct by military service members. On January 20, 2026, Sanford Heisler filed an FTCA complaint against the Army on behalf of Mayra Diaz, who was brutally sexually assaulted in 2022 by a former sergeant at Fort Hood, Texas, a military base known for rampant violence against women. Sanford Heisler also represents multiple Jane Does, all of whom were sexually abused or non-consensually videotaped by Army doctor Blaine McGraw during medical appointments at the Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas and the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Additionally, the firm represents numerous survivor-servicemembers who were sexually abused by Army doctor Michael Stockin at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Tacoma, Washington, as well as multiple former cadets who were sexually abused and harassed while at the Coast Guard Academy.

About Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP 
Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, LLP is a national public interest class-action litigation law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Diego, and Nashville. Sanford Heisler Sharp focuses on employment discrimination, Title IX, wage and hour, whistleblower, criminal/sexual violence, and financial services matters. The firm has recovered over $1 billion for its clients through many verdicts and settlements. The National Law Journal recognized Sanford Heisler Sharp as 2021 Employment Rights Firm of the Year and 2021 Human Rights Firm of the Year. 

For the latest news about Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, visit the firm’s newsroom or follow the firm on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. 

If you experienced sexual abuse and are seeking counsel, please call 202-499-5214 or email cdunn@sanfordheisler.com. Attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight would like to have the opportunity to help you. 

Media Contact: Jamie Moss, newsPRos, at 201-788-0142 or Jamie@newspros.com.