How Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Cases Ended in 2021
The records hold 32 Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2021 that charged Article 120b (child sexual abuse). Only 23% of those with a plea recorded were contested, lower than the 32% across the service.
Understanding Trends in Military Practice · 6 min read
Trends › By Offense › Article 120b › Navy-Marine Corps, 2021
Short answer: The records hold 32 Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial from 2021 that charged Article 120b (child sexual abuse). Only 23% of those with a plea recorded were contested, lower than the 32% across the service. All 30 convictions included confinement, with a median of 2.7 years, compared with 7 months for all Navy and Marine Corps cases.
Most of the Accused Pleaded Guilty
Nearly every record in 2021 lists a plea: 31 of 32 cases. Of those, 24 accused pleaded guilty and 7 contested at least one charge with a not-guilty or mixed plea. The contested share of 23% was lower than the 32% for all Navy and Marine Corps cases that year.
In 2020, the contested share for these cases was 46%. In 2021, Article 120b cases were contested less often than the typical court-martial.
Few Contested Cases Ended in Acquittal
Of the 7 decided contested cases, 2 ended in a full acquittal (not guilty of every charge). In 2020, the count was 1 of 6. These numbers are small, so each verdict has a large effect on any rate.
Most cases in this group ended in a guilty plea rather than a contested verdict. The records do not show the plea terms, so they cannot show whether any agreement limited a sentence.
Every Conviction Included Confinement
There were 30 convictions on at least one charge, and all 30 included confinement (100%). The median confinement was 2.7 years, compared with 7 months across the Navy and Marine Corps. A quarter of the terms were 8 years or longer.
These figures are adjudged sentences, the punishment announced at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each covers all the charges in the case.
Long Terms Were More Common Than in the Service Overall
Confinement of more than one year was adjudged in 23 of 30 convictions (77%), compared with 26% for all Navy and Marine Corps cases. That includes 12 convictions (40%) between 1 and 5 years and 11 (37%) of 5 years or more. Only 5% of all Navy and Marine Corps convictions were 5 years or more.
The other sentences were shorter: 6 convictions (20%) included 6 months to 1 year and 1 included under 6 months. Confinement of more than a year is available only at a general court-martial.
| Adjudged confinement | Convictions | Share here | Share, all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No confinement | 0 | 0% | 15% |
| Under 6 months | 1 | 3% | 33% |
| 6 months to 1 year | 6 | 20% | 26% |
| More than 1 year, under 5 years | 12 | 40% | 21% |
| 5 years or more | 11 | 37% | 5% |
Punitive Discharges
Of 29 convicted enlisted members, 28 received a punitive discharge: 20 dishonorable discharges and 8 bad-conduct discharges. Across all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2021, the share was 64%.
The records also list 1 convicted officer or warrant officer, who was sentenced to dismissal. A sentence without a punitive discharge does not rule out a later administrative separation, which these records do not show.
Court Level and Rank
General courts-martial made up 94% of these cases (30 of 32). A general court-martial can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. A special court-martial caps confinement at one year and cannot impose a dishonorable discharge.
The accused included 20 junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4), 11 NCOs (E-5 to E-9), and 1 officer or warrant officer. Across all Navy and Marine Corps cases in 2021, 69% were junior enlisted. The accused here were more senior.
Other Charges
Article 120b was the only charge in 4 of 32 cases. The most common other charge this year was Article 134 (general article), in 15 cases. Article 128 (assault) appeared in 10, Article 80 (attempt) in 8, Article 120 (sexual assault) in 6, and Article 82 (solicitation) in 5.
The sentence covers all of these charges, so the confinement and discharge figures above cover the whole case. The records do not show how much of a sentence relates to the Article 120b charge.
From 2020 to 2021
The number of cases was about the same: 33 in 2020 and 32 in 2021. Median confinement went from 3 years to 2.7 years. Convictions that included confinement went from 91% to 100%. Punitive discharges for enlisted members went from 100% to 97%, and the general court-martial share from 97% to 94%.
Small groups like these can change by a few cases, so the comparison shows direction, not size.
| 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 33 | 32 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 46% | 23% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 1 of 6 | 2 of 7 |
| Convictions with confinement | 91% | 100% |
| Median confinement | 3 years | 2.7 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 100% | 97% |
| General courts-martial | 97% | 94% |
Installations and Missing Information
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, tried 5 of these cases. Okinawa, Japan, Camp Pendleton, California, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, tried 4 each, and Mayport, Florida, tried 3. Together they account for 62% of the 32 cases. Larger installations try more cases of every kind.
The records do not give offense dates, the evidence, or plea terms. They do not include cases handled through nonjudicial punishment or administrative separation.
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
Navy and Marine Corps courts-martial with a trial date in 2021 that charged Article 120b (32 cases), compared with all Navy and Marine Corps cases that year and with 2020.
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 Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Cases Ended in 2020 (previous / next)
- Navy-Marine Corps Article 120b Cases in 2025 (previous / next)
- Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025 (the full trend)
- Child Sexual Abuse at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2018: The Year in Numbers
- Child Sexual Abuse at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2019: The Year in Numbers
- How Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Cases Ended in 2017
- What Sentence Follows a Navy-Marine Corps Child Sexual Abuse Conviction?
- 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 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.