Army prosecutors move forward with multiple charges, including sexual assault and obstruction of justice, in high-profile Washington state case.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington | Four U.S. Army soldiers have been formally charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault that occurred inside barracks at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in October 2024, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
The soldiers — Cpl. Pedro Angel Ruiz, Pvt. 2nd Class Deron J. Gordon, Spc. Jadon Bosarge, and Pfc. Kallon Curiel — face a range of charges including sexual assault, sexual misconduct, conspiracy, attempted assault, and obstruction of justice.
Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson for the Army’s special trial counsel, confirmed that the cases are at “various stages” of the military justice process. She emphasized, however, that all four soldiers are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Breakdown of Charges
- Pvt. 2nd Class Gordon has already pleaded guilty to 12 counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual misconduct, two counts of attempted assault, one count of conspiracy, and one count of obstructing justice.
- Cpl. Angel Ruiz faces charges of sexual misconduct, conspiracy, attempted assault, and obstruction of justice. His next hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2025, with trial proceedings set for November 3, 2025.
- Pfc. Curiel is charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault of a child. His Article 32 hearing — a preliminary procedure to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial — is scheduled for Friday.
- Spc. Bosarge’s case has not yet appeared on the Army’s online docket.
New Military Prosecution Framework
The Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel — established in 2023 following a Congressional mandate — is leading the prosecutions. The independent offices were created across all military branches to handle serious crimes such as sexual assault, murder, and kidnapping, as part of an effort to strengthen accountability and reduce command influence in such cases.
Context: Military Sexual Assault Trends
The Pentagon’s most recent sexual assault report, released in May 2025, revealed that reported incidents across the services fell nearly 4% in 2024 compared to the previous year. The Army saw the largest decline, with a 13% decrease in reported sexual assaults.
Despite these declines, the JBLM case underscores the ongoing challenges the U.S. military faces in eradicating sexual assault within the ranks and ensuring that victims receive justice.
======
-- By Andre Leday
© 2025 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without prior written permission.
No comments:
Post a Comment