U.S. border protection officer charged with child molestation

SEATTLE — Court documents show a federal Customs and Border Protection K-9 officer has been charged with three counts of first-degree child molestation.

The Seattle Times reports 49-year-old Christian Hauserman was arrested Thursday and booked into the Kent Regional Justice Center following an investigation by Federal Way police.

Hauserman is being held on $350,000 bail at the request of King County prosecutors, who cited his law-enforcement background, access to firearms and the extent of the abuse.

The charges say Hauserman began molesting the daughter of an acquaintance when the child was 6 and that the abuse continued over several years.

The charges say Hauserman told detectives he had “disgraced his badge” and family.

Customs and Border Protection spokesman Jason Givens says Hauserman was a K-9 handler assigned to the Area Port of Seattle. He was placed on unpaid administrative leave and has since resigned.