SC martial arts instructor sexually assaulted two teenage girls, police say

A South Carolina martial arts instructor has been arrested and charged for sexually assaulting two minors who were his students.

James Michael Buchen, 45, of Mount Pleasant, is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

The alleged incidents occurred between June 24, 2013 and July 5, 2013, according to the Charleston Police Department.

Both of the 15-year-old girls involved attended a martial arts camp where Buchen was the chief instructor and also owned, police said.

After lunch, participants typically watched movies and rested. One afternoon one of the girls was resting when Buchen approached her and put her head in his lap, according to police, adding he massaged her shoulders and put his hands down her shirt and beneath her sports bra.

The second 15-year-old girl told police that Buchen sat next to her, put his hands down her pants and then her underwear and touched her vagina, police reported.

Both girls began taking karate lessons from Buchen when they were about 10 years old, according to the police, who continue to investigate the incidents.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 6:54 PM with the headline "SC martial arts instructor sexually assaulted two teenage girls, police say."