A senior at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs on Monday pleaded guilty to multiple specifications of wrongfully using, possessing or distributing several drugs, including cocaine, MDMA, LSD and hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Cadet First Class Travis Amsbaugh will be jailed for six months, and he will be discharged from the academy, according to a Wednesday release.
Amsbaugh pleaded guilty to four specifications of violating Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or failure to obey a lawful order against the possession, use or distribution of intoxicating substances, the release said. His charge sheet, provided by the academy, listed those specifications as wrongfully using, possessing and distributing the drug Etizolam, which has sedative effects, as well as wrongfully using the stimulant Hexen, in violation of an Air Force regulation.
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Amsbaugh also pleaded guilty to 12 specifications of violating Article 112a of the UCMJ, which forbids the use, manufacture or distribution of controlled substances. Amsbaugh admitted to, between December 2017 and September 2018, wrongfully and repeatedly using cocaine, Xanax, MDMA, LSD, mushrooms, Percocet and marijuana, according to the charge sheet. Amsbaugh also admitted to wrongfully possessing, with intent to distribute, cocaine, Xanax, Percocet and MDMA, as well as wrongfully possessing a synthetic drug named 5F-ADB.
Two other specifications were dropped as part of Amsbaugh’s plea deal, the academy said.
“The academy is committed to fostering a culture of fair and equal treatment for all individuals, as well as holding everyone accountable for their actions, expecting everyone to adhere to the high standards of military discipline and the law,” 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.
