Air Marshal Accused of Rape at Gunpoint

By: Pia Malbran
Topics: News

Federal Air Marshal Service is facing some serious allegations.

/ CBS

updated 9:21 a.m. EST

A U.S. federal air marshal was arrested Saturday, accused of raping a woman at gunpoint inside a Seattle hotel room while on a layover for his job.

Lecheton "Omar" Settles, 30, has been charged with rape in the first degree and is being held at the King County jail with bail set at $250,000.

"We are shocked that a law enforcement officer would be accused of a crime this serious," said King County Sheriff spokesperson Sgt. John Urquhart.

According to court documents, a 24-year-old female escort told police Settles contacted her Friday around 11 p.m. through the website Backpage.com. She agreed to come to his room on the fifth floor at the Marriott hotel located across the street from the Sea-Tac Airport to perform a private "show" which would include a back massage and a dance in lingerie for the cost of $180.

The woman claims Settles was fully dressed when she arrived but after coming out of the bathroom, where she had changed into her "outfit," she alleges Settles was standing completely naked with his government issued air marshal badge hanging from his neck and a gun in one hand. He then, allegedly, said "U.S. Marshal, you have to do what I tell you." The woman told police she began to cry and Settles instructed her to get on the bed where he held her down, pushing on her chest, as he raped her for about 10 minutes, wearing a condom, with the gun next to her on the bed.

Afterwards, the woman says Settles told her to put her clothes back on and give him back the $180. She says he then put a handcuff on her and made a phone call to his "sergeant." She heard him say on the phone, "OK, you want me to let this one go?" He then let her leave.

Settles was arrested that same night by local police after the woman called 911 to report the incident.

When he was questioned by detectives, Settles denied having any sexual contact with the woman. After police informed him that the woman described how his private parts were completely shaved, Settles still maintained there was no sexual contact, but said that at one point his pants were down. He also admitted wearing his air marshal badge around his neck but said he never took out his gun because, he said, it's against air marshal policy to use a firearm after "drinking alcohol."

Air marshals are armed federal law enforcement agents, part of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), who fly around on various domestic and international airplane flights undercover, blending in with passengers, ready to protect the public against a terrorist attack.

In February, a CBS News exclusive investigation by Armen Keteyian revealed that the Federal Air Marshal Service is an agency plagued with internal personnel problems.

CBS Evening News: Marshals Fight Battle in Air and on Ground

Settles, who lives in Virginia, had flown to Seattle and was staying overnight at the hotel as part of his job representing the United States government.

Sgt. John Urquhart told CBS News Settles was scheduled to depart Seattle early Saturday morning. He was working alongside another air marshal who Sgt. John Urquhart said was staying at another hotel and had no role in the incident.

In a statement, the TSA said the agency "holds all of its employees to the highest professional standards" and Settles was a probationary employee who was immediately terminated for the "misconduct." Settles is scheduled to be arraigned April 28.

Watch Armen Keteyian's exclusive investigation into the Air Marshal program:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

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by priya45 April 26, 2010 10:36 AM EDT: I am appalled by some of the comments that have been left about this article. Rape is always a serious crime no matter who you are. Nobody ?asks? to be raped. Going into a profession such as stripping or escort services does not mean that the female should expect to be raped or that she is untrustworthy. While stripping, prostitution and escort services are another issue that I won?t get into, it seems to me that there is a lot of victim blaming going on. The reason so many rape crimes go unreported is because females are afraid that people won?t believe them, especially females in high risk jobs. Rape is a crime of power and taking control of another person?s body, causing the other person to lose autonomy. Unfortunately, people are less likely to believe the victim in this case because she is an escort and the news report also does not clearly state if there were signs of abuse. However, if there is a gun held to you, then you are probably less likely to fight back. Just because ?abusing power happens? it does not mean that we should accept it and let it slide. People need to be accountable for their actions.; Reply to this comment

by tmittelstaed April 24, 2010 2:37 AM EDT

"...There is no sex involved. Prostitute = sex (illegal) Escort = everything else without sex (legal)..."

Hahahahaha. You don't know much, do you. The only difference between an escort and a prostitute is that a prostitute and a john
set the price for the sex in advance, and escort sets the price for "everything else" in advance. With escorts and their "clients" the clients will offer an additonal "tip" and the escorts will have sex with them if "they want to". The escort and the client can then pretend that the sex is consensual which dodges the prostitution laws but it's still prostitution since the escorts know that if they say "no" that they will never get any repeat business.

Gives a new meaning to the term "layover"

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by texashat April 24, 2010 8:14 AM EDT: Well, no I don't know much about prostitutes but sure sounds like you do. Anyway like I said prostitution is illegal sex and escorts are everything else without the illegal sex. Maybe next time I am in your neighborhood you can show me your red light district to further educate me.


by smoknmirrors April 23, 2010 10:56 PM EDT: I didn't understand why the man did what he did until I saw that he was from Virginia, the State where you not only don't have to abide by federal law, albeit mandatory health care purchase, if it doesn't suit you, but the State will provide your legal defense and a contingent of militia to protect you from federal prosecution.; Reply to this comment


by texashat April 23, 2010 8:21 PM EDT: I am probably going to make a few people mad with the comment I am going to leave but, at this point in time I do not care. That is what I love about the Internet, everyone and their dog has an opinion. AND you know what they say about opinions don't you? They are like...You know what the saying is I do not need to repeat it. I just want to break somethings down here.
1. She was an escort. What is an escort? Just a step down from a full blown prostitute. With an escort there is no sex. (yeah right)
2. He is a man of power. Albeit I do not know his background, but he is in charge of maintaining order and protecting innocent lives.
3. They both have dangerous jobs. I do not know the risk of each "profession" but I can only imagine death or injury on the job is a some what more a higher risk than most jobs.
4. She probably knew the risk and put her own self in this situation to be raped, (if that is what really happened)
5. Abusing power happens but look at the good cops that do help. The majority of law enforcement do follow the laws. They uphold it, they are not above it (the law). One has to have faith in the judicial system or you might become bitter and despise cops.
6. No one knows what actually happened. His story and her story are both believable. I tend to think the only reason why this story has even been posted is because he is a trusted individual. There is no doubt in my mind that raping of escorts has occurred many times before, they just don't get reported.
7. If I am going to pass judgment I will use solely what we have been told here. Being presented with the "evidence" that this report has given us. I do not see that there is enough evidence to convict him of any crime. We shall see what the court decides.; Reply to this comment

by bankersvox April 23, 2010 12:46 PM EDT

Talk about Double Standards: What about LARRY KING's Wife ? She needs to go the SEX REHAB , does she have a sex ADDICTION ? No ? Well maybe this guy had some urges too, and was just celebrating his manhood ? If SEX is OK with the celebrities WIVES how come it is not OK with MALE Celebrities or any other guy who just needs to get by ? Of course force is not right, but you have to wonder what the heck did she EXPECT ???

Just like the case of the DUKE LACROSSE Team - the prostitute was a LIAR, and the PRESS of course took her side.

All such cases should let the man go, as it all all absurd, unless there is real physical evidence of abuse.

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by smartasss1 April 23, 2010 4:12 PM EDT: He so cheap he has to scam prostitutes he had sexx with. He is scum from the very bottom. People who defend this behavior is a scum himself. Birds of the same feather.

I don't blame law enforcement as every group has there scum.

by bradkt1 April 22, 2010 5:51 PM EDT

Whether he raped her or not, I don't know, but I am sure that much more will come out about this later.

Even without this issue, however, this guy's days as a law enforercement officer are over...hiring a prostitute on a layover between flights?

This guy should have never been an air marshal in the first place.

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by texashat April 23, 2010 8:32 PM EDT: You must remember that hiring an escort is not illegal. Although it may seem seedy to you it's not uncommon for men to hire escorts. So, having said that he hasn't violated any laws doing that. An escort by definition is NOT a prostitute, even though one may be a step down. There is no sex involved. Prostitute = sex (illegal) Escort = everything else without sex (legal)

by kellymccor April 22, 2010 5:37 PM EDT

The acronym TSA actually has two better explanations:
Thousands Standing Around, or
Thrift Store Army

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by iamphoenix April 22, 2010 7:56 PM EDT: Did you come up with that all by yourself?


by cbsblogger April 22, 2010 2:32 PM EDT: A bad cop, a bad judge, a bad legislator, a bad District Attorney should face a much harsher sentence for criminality or corruption, and be held to a much higher standard than average Americans who are non public officials and not involved in law enforcement.

When these people break the law it demoralizes and weakens the confidence in the entire system of government. Under no circumstances should they ever be shown any lenience. Their sentence should be harsh and mandatory just like a three time offender.; Reply to this comment


by STBY21 April 22, 2010 1:50 PM EDT: "Settles, who lives in Virginia, had flown to Seattle and was staying overnight at the hotel as part of his job representing the United States government."

Sounds like he is representing some of our governmental officials. He my be trying to bolster his resume to run for congress.; Reply to this comment


by mljohns00 April 22, 2010 1:27 PM EDT: This makes the second time that an Air Marshall has used his gun. The first time was when they shot an innocent person in the back in Miami.; Reply to this comment