CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — A former taekwondo instructor was arrested last week on 35 felony charges related to sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Castle Rock Police Department (CRPD).
Detectives with CRPD, along with the Aurora Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, arrested Erik Chen, 31, in Aurora on Thursday.
CRPD said the known incidents occurred from the beginning of 2019 to early 2021, when Chen ran camps as an instructor at Han Lee’s Taekwondo Academy. Police said the charges stem from multiple incidents throughout Douglas County and Aurora.
The academy’s owner was working with law enforcement in an attempt to identify additional victims from the Castle Rock and Aurora business locations.
Chen, of Denver, was being held in the Douglas County Jail on $250,000 bail. His first court appearance was on Friday.
Over the course of the investigation, the CRPD identified several juvenile victims; however, detectives believe there could be others.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents can contact the CRPD tip line at (720) 733-3517 or CrimeTips@CRgov.com.
Chen faces the following charges:
- 9 counts of sexual exploitation of a child
- 9 counts of enticement of a child
- 9 counts of sexual contact-coerced child
- 8 counts of sexual exploitation of a child-video
This is an ongoing investigation and no additional information was released.
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