Contested Army Article 120b Cases Decided by Members (A Panel)
Panels of members decided 42 contested Army Article 120b (child sexual abuse) cases from 2021–2025. The median confinement after a conviction was 11 years, longer than the 8.3-year median in all contested Army Article 120b cases.
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Short answer: Panels of members decided 42 contested Army Article 120b (child sexual abuse) cases from 2021–2025. The median confinement after a conviction was 11 years, longer than the 8.3-year median in all contested Army Article 120b cases. 16 of the 42 cases ended in a full acquittal (38%), compared with 32% in all contested Army Article 120b cases.
Long Sentences After a Panel Conviction
26 of the 42 cases ended in a conviction on at least one charge. 23 of those 26 sentences included confinement. The median confinement was 11 years, compared with 8.3 years in all contested Army Article 120b cases. A quarter of those sentences were 30 years or longer, and 1 was a life sentence.
The figures are adjudged sentences, as announced at trial and before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. A sentence covers every charge in the case, including any charges tried with Article 120b.
Most Convictions Carried 5 Years or More
Sentences of 5 years or more made up 73% of convictions here: 19 of 26. In all contested Army Article 120b cases, that band made up 55%. Only 2 convictions fell in the band of more than 1 year and under 5 years (8%), compared with 25%.
Taken together, 21 of 26 convictions (81%) included more than one year of confinement, about the same as the 79% in all contested Army Article 120b cases. 3 convictions carried no confinement. Only a general court-martial can adjudge more than one year of confinement.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, all contested Army Article 120b cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 3 | 12% | 9% |
| Under 6 months | 1 | 4% | 4% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 1 | 4% | 8% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 2 | 8% | 25% |
| 5 years or more | 19 | 73% | 55% |
Acquittals Before a Panel
All 42 cases were contested, meaning the accused pleaded not guilty to at least one charge, and none pleaded guilty. Of the 42 contested cases that reached a verdict, 16 ended in a full acquittal (38%). That is higher than the 32% rate in all contested Army Article 120b cases.
Another 15 ended in a partial acquittal (36%). A partial acquittal means not guilty of at least one charge or specification but guilty of another. Army results list findings charge by charge, so partial acquittals are common in Army records.
Enlisted Panels and Officer Panels
An enlisted panel decided 35 of the cases, and an officer panel decided 7. Across all contested Army Article 120b cases, members heard 55%.
The accused usually chooses the forum. As a result, panel cases and judge-alone cases are not alike, and the longer median and higher acquittal rate here do not show an effect of the panel itself.
Every Enlisted Discharge Was Dishonorable
19 of 21 convicted enlisted members received a punitive discharge, and all 19 were dishonorable discharges. In all contested Army Article 120b cases, the share with a punitive discharge was 89%.
5 convicted officers or warrant officers appear in these cases, and 4 were dismissed. Dismissal is the officer equivalent of a punitive discharge. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
A More Senior Group of Accused
24 of the accused were NCOs (E-5 to E-9), 13 were junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), and 5 were officers or warrant officers. The group is more senior than all contested Army Article 120b cases, where 42% of the accused were junior enlisted.
Other Charges in the Same Cases
15 of the 42 cases charged Article 120b by itself. Across all contested Army Article 120b cases, 27 of 78 did. Article 120 (sexual assault) and Article 128 (assault) were the most common added charges, in 13 cases each. Article 134 (the general article) appeared in 9, Article 128b (domestic violence) in 6, and Article 107 (false official statement) in 2.
When and Where the Cases Were Tried
The cases run from March 2021 to November 2025. There were 10 in 2021, 4 in 2022, 7 in 2023, 14 in 2024, and 7 in 2025. Fort Stewart had 6 cases, Fort Bragg and Joint Base Lewis-McChord 5 each, Fort Hood 4, and Fort Sill 2. Those five installations account for 52% of the 42 cases.
Larger installations try more cases of every kind. These counts do not measure how often the offense occurs at any base.
New Rules and Missing Information
Article 120b is a covered offense. Since December 28, 2023, special trial counsel, not commanders, decide whether covered offenses are prosecuted, and when every guilty finding is for an offense after December 27, 2023, the military judge sets the sentence within new sentencing parameters. The records give trial dates only, so 2024 and 2025 trials include cases under both sets of rules.
Cases resolved by nonjudicial punishment, administrative separation, or no action are not in these records. The records do not describe the evidence. With 42 cases, small changes in counts can move the percentages.
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
Army courts-martial with trial dates in 2021–2025 that charged Article 120b, had a not-guilty or mixed plea and a result posted, and record members (a panel) as deciding guilt (42 cases), compared with all 78 such contested Army Article 120b cases. The accused usually chooses the forum, so the two groups are not alike.
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)
- Army Courts-Martial: Data and Trends (hub)
- Sentences (hub)
- Contested Army Article 120b Cases Decided by a Military Judge Alone
- Army Article 107 Trials Before Members (A Panel): Verdicts and Sentences
- Army Article 107 Trials Before a Military Judge Alone: Verdicts and Sentences
- Army Article 115 Trials Before a Military Judge Alone: Verdicts and Sentences
- Army Article 119b Trials Before Members (A Panel): Verdicts and Sentences
- Army Article 128 Trials Before a Military Judge Alone: Verdicts and Sentences
- Army Article 80 Trials Before Members (A Panel): Verdicts and Sentences
- 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. Army Courts-Martial
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.