Articles 119b and 134 in the Same Case: What the Records Show
14 Army, Navy, and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2016–2026 charged both child endangerment under Article 119b (numbered since 2019) and the general article, Article 134.
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Trends › By Offense › Article 119b › With Article 134
Short answer: 14 Army, Navy, and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2016–2026 charged both child endangerment under Article 119b (numbered since 2019) and the general article, Article 134. 62% of the cases with a plea recorded were contested, compared with 44% across all Article 119b cases in those services. The median confinement was 1.1 years, compared with 10 months for Article 119b cases overall.
A Higher Contested Share
13 of the 14 records list the plea. 8 accused contested at least one charge, and 5 pleaded guilty. That is 62% contested, compared with 44% across all Army, Navy, and Marine Corps cases charging Article 119b. A contested case is one where the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge.
Nearly All General Courts-Martial
13 of the 14 cases were general courts-martial, and 1 was a special court-martial. The general share, 93%, compares with 67% across Article 119b cases in these services. A general court-martial can impose any lawful sentence, including long confinement and a dishonorable discharge or dismissal. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year.
Confinement
13 cases ended in a conviction on at least one charge, and 10 of those sentences included confinement (77%). The median was 1.1 years, longer than the 10 months across all Article 119b cases in these services. A quarter of the terms were 2.2 years or longer.
The sentences are adjudged sentences, as announced at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. They cover every charge in the case.
Discharges and Dismissals
A punitive discharge followed 60% of enlisted convictions: 4 bad-conduct discharges and 2 dishonorable discharges. Across Article 119b cases in these services, the share was 62%. 3 convicted officers or warrant officers appear, and 1 was dismissed. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation.
A More Senior Group
4 accused were junior enlisted (E-1 to E-4), 7 were NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 3 were officers or warrant officers. Across all Article 119b cases in these services, junior enlisted members were 44% of the accused, so this group was more senior.
Other Charges and Trial Years
Besides Article 134, which every case charged, Article 128b, domestic violence (numbered since 2019), and Article 128, assault, each appeared in 8 cases. Article 115 (malingering before 2019; communicating threats since) appeared in 4, and Article 90, disobeying an officer, in 3.
The cases were tried from September 2016 to February 2026. The busiest year was 2023, with 4 cases. The 2026 count is a partial year.
What the Records Do Not Show
The Military Justice Act of 2016 took effect on January 1, 2019, and special trial counsel have decided whether to prosecute covered offenses since December 28, 2023. Both depend on the offense date, which the records do not give. The records also leave out nonjudicial punishment, administrative separations, the evidence, and the plea terms.
Dates and sources for the law changes mentioned here: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Army, Navy, and Marine Corps courts-martial that charged both Article 119b and Article 134 (14 cases). Air Force cases are left out because Air Force records rarely list the charges in acquittals.
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 119b (Child Endangerment, Numbered Since 2019): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 134 (General Article): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Articles 119b and 128b in the Same Case: What the Records Show
- Articles 119b and 128 in the Same Case: What the Records Show
- When Article 119b and Article 131b Are Charged Together, How Do Cases End?
- Army Article 119b Cases by the Numbers, 2021–2025
- Fewer or More? Child Endangerment Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
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.