CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Four Charleston Airmen were tried at the following courts-martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice between May and October. One was tried at a general court-martial and three were tried at special courts-martial.
At the general court-martial, a senior master sergeant from the 437th Communications Squadron was found guilty by a military judge of the following offenses: maiming, in that the Airman bit off a portion of their spouse's lower lip in violation of Article 124 of the UCMJ, and two additional specifications assault and battery, striking the spouse on the head in violation of Article 128 of the UCMJ. During a domestic dispute with the Airman's spouse, the sergeant bit off part of the spouse's bottom lip while giving a kiss before for work. Further investigation revealed the sergeant had a history of violence and was also found guilty of hitting the spouse on the face and neck and on another occasion hit them on the head with a wine bottle. For these crimes, the sergeant was sentenced by the military judge to six months confinement, reduction in rank to technical sergeant and forfeiture of $2,246 pay per month for six months.
At the first special court-martial, a 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron staff sergeant was found guilty by a military judge of the following offense: wrongful use of cocaine in violation of Article 112a of the UCMJ. The Airman was sentenced by the military judge to a bad conduct discharge, four months confinement and reduction in rank to airman basic. The Airman was court-martialed a second time when a confinement physical resulted in an additional positive test for use of cocaine in violation of Article 112a of the UCMJ. At a second special court-martial, a military judge found the Airman guilty and imposed a sentence of an additional 30 days of confinement and a second bad conduct discharge.
At the second special court-martial, a senior airman reservist from the 315th Aerospace Medicine Squadron on orders and assigned to the 437th Security Forces Squadron was found guilty by panel of officers of the following offenses: three specifications of larceny of military property in violation of Article 121 of the UCMJ. The Airman committed travel voucher fraud while consistently and knowingly claiming an address outside the local area as their own in order to receive a higher rate of per diem. Investigation revealed she did maintain a residence in the local area which was, in fact, her main residence. The court-martial panel of officers sentenced her to reduction in rank to airman, hard labor without confinement for three months and a fine of $12,540. The panel also added a condition of contingent confinement, which will place the airman in confinement for 12 months if the fine is not paid in an allotted time frame.
In the third special court-martial, a senior airman from the 437 AMXS was found guilty by a military judge of the use of marijuana in violation of Article 112a of the UCMJ. The Airman's marijuana use was ranged various dates throughout a six month period of time. The military judge sentenced him to 90 days confinement, forfeiture of $933 pay per month for five months, reduction in rank to airman basic and 60 days hard labor without confinement.