Marine Recruiter charged with sexually assaulting recruits in office, home | Crime

SALISBURY - A recruiter with the United States Marine Corps has been charged with sexually assaulting two young women, according to investigators.

On Thursday, investigators from the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and Salisbury Police Department began a joint investigation into complaints that the Marine Recruiter, based in Salisbury, had sexually assaulted two young female recruits.

Investigators discovered that these assaults occurred at the Salisbury Marine Recruiting Office on Arlington Street and at the suspect’s apartment on Grandeur Drive, off Julian Road.

The suspect was unidentified as 24 year Marine Sergeant, Derek Craig Percival.

Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and Salisbury Police detectives continued the investigation on Friday and made contact with USMC authorities about the allegations.

The suspect, Derek Percival, met the two victims through his Marine Recruiter duties. On Saturday detectives from both agencies went to Percival’s apartment, at 6206 Grandeur Drive, and met with Percival.

Following this interview, Percival was arrested and charged with two counts of Misdemeanor Sexual Battery, 1 count of False Imprisonment (M), and 1 count of Communicating Threats (M), as well as the Felony charges of 1 count of Sexual Servitude and 1 count of Attempted Second Degree Rape.

Percival was placed under a $100,000 secured bond in the Rowan County Detention Center. The Marines were notified of the investigation and arrest, and have notified their own investigators.

Anyone having further information regarding these investigations, should contact Investigators at the either the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, or the Salisbury PD.