An Air Force Academy cadet in his second year will face an Article 32 hearing Monday on charges including sexual assault, the academy said in a Friday release.
Cadet 3rd Class John-Paul Thompson has been charged with one specification of a violation of Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or alleged sexual assault, and one specification of an alleged violation of Article 134, or knowingly and wrongfully producing child pornography of a 17-year-old.
Thompson has also been charged with one specification of an alleged violation of Article 92 of the UCMJ, for failing to obey a no-contact order, the release said.
The academy said the three charges all involve the same alleged female victim.
The charge sheet provided by the academy said that Thompson allegedly raped the victim at or near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on or about March 30, 2018. It also said he allegedly created videos of her, as a minor, engaging in sexually explicit conduct on multiple occasions in the continental United States between April and June 2017.
The charge sheet also said Thompson allegedly violated the no-contact order on multiple occasions between roughly April 26, 2018 and June 27, 2018.
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“It must be emphasized that charges are merely accusations, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the release said.
An Article 32 is similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding, and is meant to determine if probable cause exists to support the charges against Thompson. A preliminary hearing officer presides over it, and will submit a report and recommendations to the special court-martial convening authority, or the commandant of cadets at the academy.
The commandant will then decide whether to dismiss the case, recommend to the academy’s superintendent that it be referred to a general court-martial, or resolve the case through other disciplinary or administrative action, the release said.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
