Federal air marshal charged with raping woman at SeaTac hotel

A federal air marshal is being held in jail on $250,000 bail on a charge he raped an escort at gunpoint in a SeaTac hotel while wearing his badge.

According to documents charging Lecheton "Omar" Settles, 30, of Herndon, Va., with first-degree rape, he threatened to use his position as a law-enforcement officer and his government-issued firearm to commit the rape.

Police and prosecutors say that Settles, who was in town for official business, called an escort service on Friday from his room at the Marriott.

When a female escort arrived, Settles was dressed, court documents say. The woman agreed to dance in lingerie for $180, according to charging documents.

When she emerged from the bathroom, however, Settles was naked. He wore his badge around his neck and was holding a handgun, police and prosecutors said.

According to charging documents, Settles told the woman he was a U.S. marshal and that she had to do what he told her.

Settles is not a member of the U.S. Marshals Service, the documents state, but is a federal air marshal employed by the Transportation Security Administration, which provides security for airports and airlines.

Court documents say that Settles placed the handgun on the bed while he raped the woman and then demanded that she return the money he'd already paid her.

Court documents say Settles also placed the woman in handcuffs and pretended to call his supervisor after the rape.

The woman called police at the urging of a friend, court documents say.

According to court documents, Settles first denied having sexual contact with the woman but changed his story after he was told that she had accurately described him.

Settles, who was a probationary employee of the TSA, has been terminated, according to TSA spokesman Dwayne Baird.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on April 28.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com