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CLEARFIELD — A 20-year-old karate instructor has been charged with rape and accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student.
Damian Tyler Fullmer, of Clearfield, was charged Thursday in 2nd District Court with two counts of rape, a first-degree felony; two counts of forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; and eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony.
The 14-year-old told police that beginning about September of 2016, "she began to sneak out of her residence and started having sexual intercourse" with her “sensei," according to charging documents. This continued until April, the charges state, and typically happened at Fullmer's home.
The girl also "exchanged inappropriate images" with Fullmer, court documents state. Investigators found 157 pictures of the girl on Fullmer's phone, including 43 that contained nudity and five of the two engaged in sexual activity, the charges state.
"Three of the five images were taken at a karate studio located in Davis County. In addition, there were four images of the minor female in stages of undress taken by the defendant at the karate studio," according to the charges.
The investigation began when the girl's stepmother found pictures on the girl's phone, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in August.
"There were text messages sent from Damian asking the child to wear the stuff he got her from Victoria's Secret," the warrant states.
When interviewed by police, the girl told detectives that "Damian would tell her when he was close and she would sneak out her window. Damian would pick her up, take her to his house, and then would drop her back off in the morning," according to the warrant.
Fullmer, a martial arts instructor at Evolutionary Martial Arts, 1588 S. 2000 West, in Syracuse, was initially arrested in April and held on $150,000 bail. Police said in April there was no evidence of additional victims.
Fullmer was fired from Evolutionary Martial Arts in April. Email: preavy@deseretnews.com Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam
