Three women say they were sexually assaulted while shopping at the same Dollar Tree in Southern California, alleging that semen was either wiped or ejaculated onto them in incidents that have led to criminal charges against a U.S. Marine and a lawsuit accusing the discount retailer of failing to protect customers from sexual predators.
The alleged encounters took place over two weekends in March 2025 at the Dollar Tree store on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in San Diego, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
All three women told police that a man came up extremely close behind them as they shopped, and that they later noticed a substance on their clothing. One woman also reported finding the substance in her hair.
A 22-year-old U.S. Marine stationed locally has been charged with misdemeanor lewd conduct and misdemeanor sexual battery in connection with the three reported incidents, the outlet said.
His attorney, Isaac Blumberg, said the Marine denies wrongdoing and emphasized that the accusations have not yet been examined in court.
“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 lawsuit against Dollar Tree in San Diego Superior Court. The case comes as at least 11 women across the country — including the three who reported incidents at the San Diego store — have described similar alleged encounters inside Dollar Tree locations.
An affidavit cited in the case claims that videos depicting such incidents have surfaced on pornography websites, and that the trend has become so widely known online that it has inspired “a SoundCloud track, cryptocurrency coin and custom Pokémon card.”
Attorney Clemency Condry, who is representing a San Diego plaintiff, said her research led her to what she described as a disturbing online culture surrounding the behavior.
In some cases, she said, women have posted videos to shame the alleged perpetrators, but doing so can inadvertently give them what they want “because they are getting notoriety.”
The woman suing Dollar Tree said she sought surveillance footage from the Clairemont store after her alleged encounter but was told by a manager the camera covering the aisle was not working.
Her attorney — Alreen Haeggquist — told the outlet her client is “not doing well, because she’s now just scared to just go to the market, just scared to go shopping by herself, and nobody should have to have that fear.”
Dollar Tree has denied all of the allegations in the lawsuit.
A spokesman said: “The safety and security of our associates and customers are our highest priorities. We take reports of inappropriate, unlawful, or harassing behavior in our stores extremely seriously.
“Any incident of this nature is unacceptable, and when we become aware of criminal activity, we cooperate fully with law enforcement and support their investigations.”
