Child Sexual Abuse at Air Force Courts-Martial, 2017: The Year in Numbers
In 2017, 24 Air Force courts-martial charged Article 120b (child sexual abuse). The median confinement was 4 years, compared with 1.5 years for the same offense in 2016 and 4 months for all Air Force cases in 2017.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 5 min read
Trends › By Offense › Article 120b › Air Force, 2017
Short answer: In 2017, 24 Air Force courts-martial charged Article 120b (child sexual abuse). The median confinement was 4 years, compared with 1.5 years for the same offense in 2016 and 4 months for all Air Force cases in 2017. Every convicted enlisted member received a punitive discharge (100%, compared with 51% Air Force-wide).
5 Years or More Was the Most Common Sentence
10 of the 24 convictions (42%) were sentenced to 5 years or more of confinement. Across all Air Force cases in 2017, 8% were. 9 more (38%) were sentenced to more than 1 year but under 5 years.
In total, 19 of 24 convictions (79%) were sentenced to more than one year, compared with 23% Air Force-wide. 4 (17%) were sentenced to 6 months to 1 year. 0 were under 6 months, the most common band for the Air Force at 46%, and 1 conviction had no confinement.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, all Air Force cases in 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 1 | 4% | 21% |
| Under 6 months | 0 | 0% | 46% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 4 | 17% | 11% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 9 | 38% | 14% |
| 5 years or more | 10 | 42% | 8% |
The Median Was Higher Than in 2016
23 of the 24 sentences included confinement (96%). The median was 4 years, and a quarter were 8 years or longer. In 2016, the median for this offense was 1.5 years. For all Air Force cases in 2017, it was 4 months.
These are adjudged sentences, the terms set at trial. They come before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal, and each one covers all of the charges in a case.
Year Over Year
The count was about the same: 23 cases in 2016 and 24 in 2017. Convictions with confinement were 100% and 96%. Punitive discharges for enlisted members were 100% in both years. General courts-martial were 87% in 2016 and 100% in 2017.
In groups this size, a few long or short sentences can change the median a great deal. The records do not explain the change.
| 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 23 | 24 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | — | — |
| Convictions with confinement | 100% | 96% |
| Median confinement | 1.5 years | 4 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 100% | 100% |
| General courts-martial | 87% | 100% |
Discharges
All convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge: 17 dishonorable and 6 bad-conduct. The Air Force-wide rate in 2017 was 51%. The 1 convicted officer or warrant officer was dismissed.
Every case was a general court-martial in 2017. That is the only level that can impose a dishonorable discharge or confinement beyond one year.
Military Judges Decided Most Cases
A military judge alone decided guilt in 14 of the 24 cases (58%). Members decided 10: 6 enlisted panels and 4 officer panels. Because Air Force records from 2016 to 2019 rarely list a guilty plea, the contested share for 2017 cannot be measured.
The Accused and Their Other Charges
Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) were 58% of the accused, NCOs 38%, and officers 4%. Across all Air Force cases in 2017, junior enlisted members were 61%.
10 of the 24 cases charged at least one other article. Article 134 (general article) was charged in 6 and Article 125 (sodomy) in 2. Article 120 (sexual assault), Article 120c (indecent recording and exposure), and Article 112a (drug) were each charged in 1.
Installations
Eglin AFB, Florida, Keesler AFB, Mississippi, JB Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and Whiteman AFB, Missouri, each tried 2 cases. MacDill AFB, Florida, tried 1. Together these five account for 38% of the 24 cases, and larger installations try more cases of every kind.
What the Records Leave Out
These trials came before the Military Justice Act of 2016 took effect on January 1, 2019. Its fixed panel sizes, judge-alone special courts-martial, and written plea agreements did not apply.
The records give trial dates rather than offense dates. Air Force records rarely list the charges in a full acquittal, so no acquittal rate is reported. Plea agreements, the evidence, and allegations handled outside a court-martial are not included.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 120b on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Air Force courts-martial with a trial date in 2017 that charged Article 120b (24 cases), compared with all Air Force cases that year and with 2016.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Article 120b (Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Year (hub)
- How Air Force Child Sexual Abuse Cases Ended in 2016 (previous / next)
- How Air Force Child Sexual Abuse Cases Ended in 2018 (previous / next)
- How Has Article 120b Changed in Air Force Courts-Martial Since 2016? (the full trend)
- Child Sexual Abuse at Air Force Courts-Martial, 2019: The Year in Numbers
- Child Sexual Abuse at Air Force Courts-Martial, 2020: The Year in Numbers
- How Much Confinement for an Article 120b Conviction in the Air Force?
- Article 120b explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Compare: federal court. Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Sentences vs. Air Force Courts-Martial, 2016–2025
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.