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Press Release

Army National Guard recruiter indicted for molesting child while living on Joint Base Lewis-McChord

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington
Alleged abuse occurred while defendant served as Special Agent with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Tacoma – A former Air Force Special Agent was arrested today on a grand jury indictment charging him with five counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.  Joshua Carl Harrod, 42, of Spanaway, Washington, will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:30 today.

According to the indictment, between October 2017 and April 2018, Harrod sexually molested a young child left in his care.  The conduct occurred in the location where he resided on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an area of exclusive federal jurisdiction.  Harrod separated from the Air Force in 2018 and currently serves as a recruiter for the Army National Guard in Lakewood, Washington.

Sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 is punishable by a mandatory minimum 30 years in prison and up to life in prison.

The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), Joint Base Lewis-McChord Military Police Investigations, the Lakewood Police Department and the Washington State Patrol.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster.

Contact

Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.

Updated July 22, 2021

Topic
Project Safe Childhood