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Seo’s Martial Arts Academy instructor arrested, accused of sexually assaulting 14-year-old Westminster student

A Colorado martial arts instructor accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student was arrested Monday in Texas, police announced Wednesday.

Michael Seo — the 21-year-old son of Joseph Seo, who owns Seo’s Martial Arts Academy in Colorado — was arrested during a traffic stop in Texas, Westminster police spokesperson Cheri Spottke said.

Spottke confirmed Seo worked for his father’s company.

“We have been made aware of allegations against one of our employees, Michael Seo,” the martial arts academy said in a written statement to the Denver Post. “We are taking these allegations very seriously. The decision has been made to remove the instructor while the investigation is underway. Mr. Seo will not have contact with students, staff or martial arts families at our multiple locations during this time.”

Texas officials arrested Seo during a traffic stop in Spicewood — an unincorporated community in central Texas — and took him to the Travis County Jail, where he is awaiting extradition, according to a Wednesday news release from the Westminster Police Department.

A warrant for Seo’s arrest was issued in February 2023 after police were notified about an ongoing, inappropriate relationship between Seo, who was then 19, and a 14-year-old female student, according to the release.

After a thorough investigation, a warrant was issued for Seo for sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust – victim under 15, Westminster police said.

The issue comes down to a one-year age difference.

“If she was 16, we wouldn’t even be able to file a report on it,” Spottke said.

The way the statute reads, if a minor is 15 years old or younger and in a relationship with a person 4 or more years older, it falls under sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, Spottke said. If she was 16, the age difference benchmark would have been bumped up to 10 years.

No other victims have come forward and police aren’t actively searching for any, Spottke said.

The extradition process is up to the courts, so when exactly Seo will return to Colorado and the timeline for charges is currently unknown, Spottke said.

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