Article 120b at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Before and After 2019
All 18 Article 120b (child sexual abuse) cases tried at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 2019–2023 ended in a conviction with confinement. The median confinement was 1.7 years, shorter than the 3 years across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases.
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Short answer: All 18 Article 120b (child sexual abuse) cases tried at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in 2019–2023 ended in a conviction with confinement. The median confinement was 1.7 years, shorter than the 3 years across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases. Every convicted enlisted member received a punitive discharge (100%).
Every Conviction Included Confinement
Of 18 convictions, 18 carried confinement. The median confinement was 1.7 years. Across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases in 2019–2023, the median was 3 years.
Among the sentences that included confinement, a quarter were 3.8 years or longer. These are adjudged sentences, as announced at trial, before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in the case, not only the Article 120b count.
Punitive Discharges for Every Enlisted Conviction
A punitive discharge is a bad-conduct or dishonorable discharge for enlisted members; for officers, the equivalent is a dismissal. All 17 convicted enlisted members received one (100%), compared with 98% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases. 9 of the 17 were dishonorable discharges.
1 convicted officer or warrant officer appears in these cases, and that officer was dismissed.
How 2019–2023 Compares With 2017–2018
The records show 13 Article 120b cases at Camp Lejeune in 2017–2018, about 6 a year. Since 2019 the average has been about 4 a year, counting full years only. The median confinement went from 2.8 years to 1.7 years.
Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members were 100% in both periods. Convictions with confinement went from 92% to 100%, and general courts-martial went from 92% to 89%. With 13 and 18 cases, a few outcomes can move these figures, so they show direction, not precise change.
| 2017–2018 | 2019–2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 13 | 18 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | — | 2 of 9 |
| Convictions with confinement | 92% | 100% |
| Median confinement | 2.8 years | 1.7 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 100% | 100% |
| General courts-martial | 92% | 89% |
Other Articles Charged in the Same Cases
Article 120b was the only charge in 4 of 18 cases. Article 134 (general article) appeared in 8, Article 80 (attempt) in 6, Article 128 (assault) in 5, Article 120 (sexual assault) in 5, and Article 131b (obstruction) in 1.
Rank and Court Level
Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) were 61% of the accused, NCOs were 33%, and officers were 6%. Across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases, junior enlisted members were 50%.
General courts-martial tried 16 cases and special courts-martial tried 2. The general share was 89%, compared with 95% across the service. A general court-martial can impose any lawful sentence, including a dishonorable discharge. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge.
Case Counts by Year
The 18 trials ran from February 2019 through November 2023: 6 in 2019, 3 in 2020, 5 in 2021, 3 in 2022, and 1 in 2023. They were 6% of the 283 courts-martial at Camp Lejeune in those years.
What These Records Leave Out
Only 9 records list a plea, and 2 of those 9 were contested, so the plea figures here are thin. Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often omit the plea and forum. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, and they do not describe the evidence, the plea terms, nonjudicial punishment, or administrative separations.
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
Courts-martial tried at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina that charged Article 120b (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2017–2018 (13) and 2019–2023 (18). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 120b in 2019–2023.
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
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 120b (Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 2017–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 140 Cases (the whole docket)
- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Courts-Martial, 2019–2023: What 283 Cases Show (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 2024–2026? 119 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Child Sexual Abuse Cases at Okinawa, Japan: 2017–2018 vs. 2019–2022 (same offense, another installation)
- Did Child Sexual Abuse Cases at San Diego, California Change After 2024? (same offense, another installation)
- Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025
- Article 120b explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 120b Cases at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 2019–2023
Names and links only. Each judge's record of pleas, findings, and sentences is on their Know Your Judge page, part of the Court-Martial Characters membership.
Compare: federal court. Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Cases vs. Article 120b 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.