Ft. Lewis Soldier Accused Of Molesting Exchange Student

Michael Paul Denman, 27, is a father of two and has been charged with molesting a 15-year-old foreign exchange student who came to the U.S. in July to attend high school, investigators said.

Denman pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Denman went into the girl's bedroom to say good night and asked to lie down with her.

When he allegedly started kissing and fondling her, the girl "pushed the defendant away and started crying" as Denman told her he wanted to have sex with her, the documents said.

Investigators said Denman ignored the girl’s pleas to stop.

A short time later, the defendant's wife arrived home from work and saw the girl crying, documents said.

Denman allegedly told the girl not to tell what happened and when the girl said she was going to tell, the defendant said he would tell his wife himself, investigators said.

Denman is required to stay on base at Fort Lewis while he awaits trial and has been ordered to have no contact with his wife or daughters, ages 7 and 4, because all three could be called as prosecution witnesses because he allegedly admitted the incident.

Denman is a career soldier with six years in the Marines and now a warrant officer in the Army based at Fort Lewis.