Three women reported finding a sexual fluid on their clothing or hair while shopping at the same Dollar Tree in Clairemont Mesa, San Diego, in March 2025. A locally based 22-year-old U.S. Marine has been charged with misdemeanor lewd conduct and misdemeanor sexual battery, and one woman has filed a civil lawsuit alleging Dollar Tree negligence. Plaintiffs' lawyers say similar incidents have been reported at other stores nationwide and that some episodes appear to have circulated online. Dollar Tree denies the claims and says it cooperates with law enforcement; all allegations remain unproven in court.
Three Women Allege Sexual Assaults at San Diego Dollar Tree; Marine Charged, Lawsuit Claims Negligence
Three women say they were targeted by a man who allegedly deposited a sexual fluid on their clothing or hair while shopping at the same Dollar Tree store in Clairemont Mesa, San Diego, in March 2025. The incidents, reported to police over two consecutive weekends, prompted criminal charges against a locally based U.S. Marine and a civil lawsuit accusing the retailer of failing to protect customers.
A US Marine has since been charged with lewd conduct and sexual battery in connection with the three incidents. Mahmoud Suhail – stock.adobe.com
What Happened
According to reporting by the San Diego Union-Tribune and police accounts, each woman told investigators that a man moved very close behind her in a store aisle and that she later discovered a substance on her clothing; one woman also found it in her hair. Local prosecutors have charged a 22-year-old U.S. Marine with misdemeanor lewd conduct and misdemeanor sexual battery in connection with the three reports.
Attorney Clemency Condry described disturbing online culture surrounding the behavior. Haeggquist & Eck
Legal Responses
The Marine's attorney, Isaac Blumberg, has said his client denies the allegations and warned that the claims have not been tested in court.
Attorney Alreen Haeggquist said her client is "not doing well, because she's now just scared to just go to the market." Instagram/@alreen
"It's worth remembering the record at this point consists entirely of one side's allegations, none of which have been tested in court," Blumberg told the Union-Tribune.
Separately, one of the women has filed a civil lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court against Dollar Tree. Plaintiffs' attorneys say at least 11 women nationwide have reported similar encounters inside Dollar Tree stores. The lawsuit's affidavit alleges the conduct has an online footprint — including videos that have circulated on pornography sites and social-media-related artifacts such as a SoundCloud track, a cryptocurrency token, and a custom Pokémon card.
Dollar Tree has denied all of the allegations in the lawsuit.
Allegations About Store Response
The plaintiff in the civil case says she requested surveillance footage from the Clairemont store and was told by a manager that the camera covering the relevant aisle was not working. Her attorney, Alreen Haeggquist, told reporters her client is frightened to shop alone and is suffering emotionally.
Dollar Tree Statement
Dollar Tree has denied the allegations in the lawsuit. A company spokesman said the safety and security of associates and customers are the company's highest priorities, that it takes reports of inappropriate or unlawful behavior seriously, and that it cooperates with law enforcement when criminal activity is reported.
Context and Next Steps
The criminal case remains pending, and the civil litigation is ongoing. Media reports and court filings describe an apparent pattern of similar allegations at other locations, but the claims in both the criminal and civil matters have not been adjudicated. Authorities and attorneys involved say investigations and legal proceedings will determine whether the allegations are proven in court.
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