Navy E-4 Charged with Statutory Rape, Avoids Sex Offender Registration and Jail Time

Navy E-4 engaged in a 9-month sexual relationship with a 14-year old girl. This relationship included the girl taking numerous nude pictures of herself and sending them to our client, which constituted the possession of child pornography. Our client was charged with carnal knowledge, possession of child pornography, and sodomy with/on a child under the age of 16, and was facing the possibility of 50 years confinement and Dishonorable Discharge. Using evidence we developed through cross-examination of the witnesses at our client's Article 32 hearing, we were able to convince the chain of command to handle our client's case administratively, rather than at a General Court-Martial. Result: Our client did not serve a single day in jail, will not have a criminal record, will not receive a punitive discharge from the Navy, and will not have to register as a sex offender.

Homosexual Sexual Assault Charges Withdrawn and Dismissed for Coast Guard E-6

Coast Guard E-6 was charged with homosexually assaulting and stalking 2 subordinate petty officers on numerous occasions. He was also charged with breaking into one of the petty officer’s homes and assaulting him. While that investigation was pending, our client engaged in separate misconduct, to include shoving and cursing a warrant officer and punching another petty officer after a day of prolonged drinking. Our client was facing a dishonorable discharge, confinement for life, and would have had to register as a sex offender. At the Article 32 hearing, our aggressive cross-examination of the alleged sexual assault victims highlighted significant credibility problems. As a result, in exchange for guilty pleas to the subsequent misconduct, we convinced the command to WITHDRAW AND DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE all sex allegations. At our client’s court-martial, we litigated four remaining allegations, including housebreaking and assault. Our client was found NOT GUILTY of the remaining allegations. Based upon his guilty pleas, he was sentenced to only 30 days confinement and NO DISCHARGE.

Navy E-7 Successfully Defended by JAG Defense in Aggravated Sexual Assault Trial

Navy E-7 was charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault and Fraternization following a night of partying with his female Division Officer and other junior Sailors. His Division Officer alleged that he sexually assaulted her while she was substantially incapacitated due to intoxication. The government secured the services of a forensic psychiatrist who assessed the alleged victim and was prepared to testify that her memory of the alleged sexual assault was credible and that she was incapable of consenting to the sexual acts that she alleged had occurred. The attorneys at JAG Defense litigated a motion to prevent the government’s expert witness from being permitted to offer such testimony, which was granted by the military judge. At trial, our cross-examination of the alleged victim highlighted the various inconsistencies in her story, as well as a significant motive to fabricate her allegations against our client. Result: The Officer and Enlisted Member Panel found our client NOT GUILTY of Aggravated Sexual Assault. Our client was convicted only of Fraternization, and received No Confinement, No Punitive Discharge, and No Sex Offender Registration