Sexual Assault Cases at Pensacola, Florida: 2013–2018 vs. 2019–2023
Pensacola, Florida had 18 courts-martial charging Article 120 (sexual assault) in 2019–2023. Of the 15 contested cases that reached a verdict, 12 ended in a full acquittal (80%), compared with 57% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120 cases.
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Short answer: Pensacola, Florida had 18 courts-martial charging Article 120 (sexual assault) in 2019–2023. Of the 15 contested cases that reached a verdict, 12 ended in a full acquittal (80%), compared with 57% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120 cases. In 2013–2018, 8 of 20 contested cases at Pensacola ended in a full acquittal.
Full Acquittals in 12 of 15 Contested Cases
Of the 15 contested cases that reached a verdict, 12 ended in a full acquittal, meaning not guilty of every charge. That 80% rate was higher than the 57% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120 cases in 2019–2023. None of the contested cases ended in a partial acquittal, which is a finding of not guilty on at least one charge but guilty on another.
The records do not describe the evidence, so they cannot show why any case ended as it did.
Most Cases Were Contested
Of 18 cases with a plea recorded, 15 had a not-guilty or mixed plea and 3 had a guilty plea. A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The contested share was 83%, compared with 65% in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120 cases. In 2013–2018, the contested share at Pensacola was 91%.
Assault Charged in 13 Cases
Article 120 was the only charge in 2 of the 18 cases. Article 128 (assault) was charged in 13. Article 112a (drug), Article 120b (child sexual abuse), Article 131b (obstruction), and Article 81 (conspiracy) were each charged in 2.
An assault charge filed next to a sexual assault charge can describe part of the same incident.
2013–2018 Compared With 2019–2023
The earlier period had 22 cases over 6 years, about 4 a year, the same yearly rate as since 2019. By year, the later period had 5 cases in 2019, 1 in 2020, 8 in 2021, 3 in 2022, and 1 in 2023. These cases were 43% of the 42 courts-martial at Pensacola in 2019–2023.
The median confinement was 3.5 years in the earlier period and 4 months in the later one. That later figure comes from only 6 convictions, all with confinement. A punitive discharge followed 90% of enlisted convictions before 2019 and 6 of 6 since. These numbers are small, and a few cases can change them, so they show a direction only.
| 2013–2018 | 2019–2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 22 | 18 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 91% | 83% |
| Full acquittals (decided contested) | 8 of 20 | 12 of 15 |
| Convictions with confinement | 86% | 6 of 6 |
| Median confinement | 3.5 years | 4 months |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 90% | 6 of 6 |
| General courts-martial | 86% | 89% |
Rank and Court Level
Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) made up 67% of the accused, NCOs 28%, and officers 6%. In all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120 cases in 2019–2023, junior enlisted members were 60%.
General courts-martial heard 16 of the 18 cases (89%), and special courts-martial heard the rest. A general court-martial can impose long confinement and a dishonorable discharge. In 2013–2018, the general share was 86%.
Which Version of Article 120 Applies
Article 120 was rewritten in 2012 and amended again for offenses on or after January 1, 2019. Each case is charged under the version in force on the offense date. The records give trial dates, not offense dates, so a trial in 2019–2023 could involve either version.
What the Records Leave Out
The records cover courts-martial only. They do not include nonjudicial punishment, administrative separations, or cases where no action was taken, and they do not show the plea terms.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 120 on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Pensacola, Florida that charged Article 120 (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2013–2018 (22) and 2019–2023 (18). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 120 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
- Pensacola, Florida: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 120 (Rape and Sexual Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Pensacola, Florida, 2013–2018: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 74 Cases (the whole docket)
- What Was Tried at Pensacola, Florida, 2019–2023? 42 Courts-Martial (the whole docket)
- Pensacola, Florida, 2024–2026: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 15 Cases (the whole docket)
- Sexual Assault Cases at Norfolk, Virginia: 2013–2018 vs. 2019–2023 (same offense, another installation)
- Article 120 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Before and After 2019 (same offense, another installation)
- Is Navy-Marine Corps Sexual Assault Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 120, 2017–2025
- S2 E1: Article 120 Dismissal & the Aftermath (podcast, members)
- Article 120 explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 120 Cases at Pensacola, Florida, 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. Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 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.