An ex-Marine recruiter who was sentenced to a year in prison for abusing his position of authority and after self-publishing a book about his inappropriate relationship with a teenage prospective recruit was released from the brig three months early and without his victim’s knowledge.
Pvt. Christopher Champagne, once a gunnery sergeant on recruiting duty in Texas over two years ago and in his late 30s, was released from a military prison in California on Monday after serving less than nine months of a 12-month sentence, a Marine Corps spokesperson told Military.com.
The mother of Champagne’s victim said that the military did not notify her daughter of his release and her family was fearful of his potential retaliation after previously alleging that he had sexually assaulted, stalked and sextorted the former recruit, among other abuses this publication reported on over the past two years.
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“None of us now feel safe,” Kathlyn, the former recruit’s mother, told Military.com on Friday. “Now, we’re having to look over our shoulder again like we were hoping not to.”
Military.com is withholding the name of Kathlyn’s daughter — as well as the family’s last name — given her age when the alleged abuse started and the publication’s policy not to print the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
Champagne had previously denied many of those claims, but was charged with and pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual relations with a prospective recruit and providing her with alcohol while she was under the age of 21.
Military.com tried to call a previously listed phone number for Champagne on Friday evening, but it went straight to voicemail and it was unclear whether he has any legal representation.
It was also not immediately clear why Champagne was released early. Capt. Austin Gallegos, the service spokesperson, said that “early releases are in accordance with typical Department of Defense policy conduct standards.” Kathlyn had heard that Champagne applied for a parole hearing in April.
She subsequently submitted a statement to the Marine Corps urging it not to release him ahead of time, writing that he “is a constant and urgent threat” to her family. She said she did not hear back about the statement.
Kathlyn previously told Military.com that she and her family were in the process of trying to uproot their lives before Champagne was expected to be released in September, to include his victim trying to change her name and the family selling their house. Now, that timeline has been intensely shortened with no notice, and they are rushing to do so.
“We thought we had a couple more months,” Kathlyn said. “And they didn’t even give us the common courtesy of telling us.”
In 2023, Champagne self-published a “memoir” that — on his own admission — outlined his pursuit of a then-17-year-old girl attempting to join the Marine Corps. He was sentenced last fall to prison, a reduction in rank to private and a dishonorable discharge.
Gallegos said that “although the appellate process is ongoing, the punitive discharge was adjudged, and he is no longer serving on active duty.”
While incarcerated, Champagne apparently tried to republish the memoir to an online book seller while naming his victim and her sister, alluding to his desire to write another book. He previously used a pseudonym for the recruit.
Champagne’s ex-wife also previously told Military.com that she had reported his behavior to military and civilian authorities, including allegations of sexual abuse.
Kathlyn said that, as of Friday, the military had not contacted her family. She had repeatedly tried to contact representatives of the military, including a victims advocate whom she said suggested a women’s shelter and restraining order, something that Champagne previously broke.
It wasn’t until Champagne had apparently called his own daughter Wednesday that the news of his release was relayed to Kathlyn by Champagne’s ex-family members.
Gallegos said that if victims want to be informed of such a release, they need to have filled out a specific form; otherwise, “notification cannot be guaranteed.”
Kathlyn showed Military.com images of copies of those forms, which list her and her family members, including the former Marine Corps poolee — a term for potential recruits — as victims. It was signed by the trial counsel last year, and Kathlyn said she submitted it then.
Gallegos said that Champagne “remains administratively assigned to his previous recruiting station in Texas until he is officially transferred to the Navy Marine Corps Appellate Leave Activity,” pending the completion of his appeal through the military justice system.
“The Marine Corps retains jurisdiction during this time and is taking steps to ensure appropriate accountability and lawful restrictions, including a direct order not to contact poolees or prior applicants,” he added, though it was not clear whether those restrictions were in place Friday.
Related: A Marine Recruiter’s ‘Grooming’ of a Teenage Recruit Led to an Investigation. The Family Says He’s Still Terrorizing Them.
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