Police say a New Jersey-based recruiter sent an image of his penis to a 17-year-old girl via the media-sharing application Snapchat late last year, then took apart and threw away his cellphone in an attempt to destroy the evidence.
Roughneen also said that McCullough's phone is in possession of law enforcement and there "was no destruction of the phone itself." The complaint, a copy of which was provided to Army Times by the prosecutor's office, charges McCullough with "deleting information from a cell phone, disassembling it, and throwing it in the garbage."
Local law enforcement is investigating whether any prospective recruits or other individuals received similar messages, Mueller said. Army Criminal Investigation Command is assisting with that investigation, he said, as well as conducting its own.
Recruiting Command "takes any allegations very seriously and ensures individuals under investigation are not on recruiting duty while an investigation is ongoing," spokeswoman Kelli Bland said Wednesday via email. "Recruiters are the face of the Army, and we expect them to serve honorably while representing the force."
The name of the girl and that of the school she attends have not been released, but a statement from the school published by local media states that school officials became aware of "inappropriate" contact between a recruiter and a student, and "the issue was forwarded to the Sparta Police and from there to the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office."
The Snapchat photo- and video-sharing application deletes shared material from the receiver's phone after a pre-set time, but the data can be saved through various methods, including screen shots.
McCullough was released without bond and was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, but the hearing was delayed because of a previous Army-ordered medical appointment, Roughneen said. No new date has been scheduled.
"From what I know of Staff Sgt. McCullough, he has had an extremely impressive career, and what he may or may not have done, I hope will be given due consideration in light of his really stellar 13 or so years serving as a recruiter and as a deployed soldier," Roughneen said.
McCullough deployed for a year to Iraq and Kuwait while with the Germany-based 47th Support Battalion, 1st Armored Division, wrapping up his tour in November 2006. He also deployed to Egypt from February 2012 to February 2013, Army records show, serving with 1st Army Support Battalion. Those deployments have "severely affected" the soldier and his family, said Roughneen, who did not elaborate.
McCullough entered service in 2004 and has earned two Army Commendation Medals and five Army Achievement Medals among other decorations, according to personnel records.
The obscenity and endangerment charges are third-degree offenses in New Jersey and carry sentences of up to five years in jail, with the evidence-tampering charge, a fourth-degree offense, potentially adding 18 months. However, sentences in both crime degrees fall under the "presumption of non-imprisonment," according to the state's sentencing guidelines, reserving jail time in such instances primarily for repeat offenders and those judged to be dangerous to others.
Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.
