The mother of a teenage armed forces recruit has revealed disturbing details about the Marine recruiter who obsessively stalked and harassed her daughter at a Texas military base.
Artillery Sgt. Christopher Champagne, 36, wrote a creepy book detailing his “scandalous romantic relationship” with a 17-year-old woman at the Marine Corps recruiting station in Fort Worth, Texas. Military.com reported.
In his book Cosette's Decision, Champagne openly admits to having a “burning relationship” with a young girl – whose real name is withheld to protect her as a victim of sexual violence.
'Cosette' – as Champagne called her in his memoirs – needed her parents' permission to join the army because she was under 18.
After pleading guilty to having a relationship with the recruiter, the pair allegedly messaged on Snapchat, had unprotected sex, filmed sex tapes and spent “three or four” nights together every week while she told her parents she was with a friend was staying over.
Artillery Sgt. Christopher Champagne, 36, wrote a creepy book about his 'scandalous romantic relationship' with a 17-year-old woman at the Marine Corps recruiting station in Fort Worth, Texas
'Cosette' – as Champagne called her in his memoirs – needed her parents' permission to join the army because she was under 18 years old
The girl's mother said Champagne, who had become a “terrifying and controlling” presence in her life, showed up at their home twice an hour.
Champagne left behind two bottles of whiskey and a bizarre note thanking the young recruit for inviting him for Christmas eight months earlier.
The disturbing event prompted the young girl to finally open up to her family about the relationship that had been going on in secret for months.
“He's calling me, he's leaving messages, he's going crazy, mom – he's going to kill me,” are the disturbing words Kathlyn's daughter said to her mother.
The young girl said I owed her a lot because I did things I didn't want to do.
She told him, “I don't want to do anything dirty,” and he kept nagging me until I did it.
'I would tell him, 'I'm not in the mood, I don't want to do this.' There were many times when I said, “Okay, just end it if you have to, I just don't want to do this.”
The 36-year-old recruiter was removed from his role over the alleged sexual relationship he described in a self-published book.
“My memoir is a true story of a scandalous romantic relationship,” according to the book's description. “Cosette was a much younger woman with an affinity for older men, but we connected through discussions about overcoming suicide, assault and abuse.”
Champagne explained that he was recently divorced and dealing with financial instability, which led him to loneliness, depression and a suicide attempt.
In the disturbing book hey objectified “Cosette's” body and called her a “gift” from another recruiter.
Champagne self-published book as the Kickstart campaign said agents and publishers wanted to 'remove some of the controversial elements'.
He told how he was immediately drawn to “Cosette” when he first saw her – at the age of 17: “I couldn't take my eyes off her,” the book said.
“Before she left that day, I challenged her to write down her Snapchat even though I already had her cell phone programmed into my cell phone,” Champagne wrote. 'I have exhibited a lot of risky behavior during my career.'
In his book Cosette's Decision, Champagne openly admits to having a “burning relationship” with a young girl – whose real name is withheld to protect her as a victim of sexual violence
After the Marine Corps recruit was 'guilty' of having a relationship with the Texas recruiter – the pair allegedly messaged on Snapchat, had unprotected sex, filmed sex tapes and spent 'three or four' nights together every week while she told her parents that she was staying with a friend
The recruiter said he was willing to risk his career to save and protect 'Cosette' and their relationship.
He claimed that the couple 'dealt with lies, betrayal and loss, while reality kept pulling us apart'.
The young girl said the inappropriate relationship involved incidents of sexual assault, which his mother found out about a few months later.
Responding to initial reports of Champagne's misconduct, Capt. Bryanna Kessler, a spokesperson for the 8th Marine Corps District where Champagne served, said the former teenage recruit was “not in any danger of being contacted by Champagne.”
Her family claimed this was not true. They said Champagne contacted the young girl under a false name and threatened to release their alleged sex tapes.
“I recorded us having sex several times and I send the videos to everyone,” one of the messages read.
He used the name Pete Mitchell, the main character of the movie Top Gun and an allusion he made in his memoir, to make the threats.
Please know that this case has become a top priority and we are working diligently to complete it,” an agent assigned to the case told the former recruit after Military.com's initial report.
During the initial report, Kessler said Champagne remained on active duty while the investigation took place, but was no longer serving in recruiting roles.
Champagne's ex-wife Kristi Champagne and her father, Rob Kersch, raised concerns about the Navy petty officer to local police and military authorities, including sexual assault, emotional abuse and failure to provide child support.
However, only the emotional abuse case met the criteria to be taken seriously by officials.
“At the very least, I hope that what happened to me empowers her and her situation,” Kristi said of her hopes for the former recruit — as she doubts she will see the day “when he is ever held legally accountable .'
Dailymail.com reached out to Champagne and the Marine Corps Recruiting Command Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for comment.
Christopher Champagne denied all claims of wrongdoing.