JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD -- A soldier based at Joint Base Lewis McChord faces charges that he sexually exploited teenage girls.

A State Patrol spokesman says an investigation was launched in April after concerns were raised by a victim’s mother, and evidence showed at least eight girls had been exploited in Pierce County.

Detectives learned yesterday that 24-year-old David Michael Ford had returned from overseas deployment and they arrested him for possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation of a minor and other charges.

The investigation found Ford would use money, gifts and ultimately fear tactics to extort pornographic images and video from girls ages 15 to 17.