Cadet acquitted in court-martial

  • Published
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  A U.S. Air Force Academy cadet was found not guilty of violating Article 120 (rape) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Oct. 27.

The alleged assault by Cadet 2nd Class John Aguilar occurred in October 2003 while both the accused and victim were cadet candidates at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School.

Academy leaders learned of the allegations in May 2006. The case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and forwarded to an Article 32 hearing in August. An Article 32 hearing is the military equivalent of a grand jury.

Based on the results of the AFOSI investigation and the Article 32 findings, Lt. Gen. John F. Regni, academy superintendent, elected to send the case to a general court martial, composed of a panel of officers.

The panel of seven officers conferred for approximately 25 minutes before delivering the verdict in the academy's courtroom here.