Court-martial finds Airman guilty of rape Published Feb. 16, 2005 ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) -- A court-martial found an Airman of the 97th Security Forces Squadron here guilty of rape, dereliction of duty and falsifying an official statement recently. After seven days of testimony and deliberation, a panel of officer and enlisted Airmen found Senior Airman Justin Howard guilty of one charge of rape and acquitted him of a second rape allegation. He was sentenced to three years confinement, dishonorable discharge, reduction to airman basic and total forfeiture of all pay and allowances.The case centered on two separate events. The first occurred in September 2003 when Airman Howard allowed a friend to pass through the main gate, knowing the person had been drinking alcohol. That same evening, Airman Howard made a false official statement to the security forces desk sergeant about conducting a walking patrol. Later the same night, he admitted to the desk sergeant he had not been performing his duty, but instead he had sex while on duty. The second event occurred in December 2003. Airman Howard had sexual intercourse with a female Airman knowing she was highly intoxicated and unable to consent to the activity. “It is important for people to understand that having sex with someone who is unable to consent (because of his or her) level of intoxication, is rape,” said Maj. Ralph Paradiso, 97th Air Mobility Wing military justice chief. “The sentence should send a strong message that this type of behavior is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community,” said Lt. Col. Karen White, 97th AMW staff judge advocate. “I hope others will learn from this case and not make the same bad choices that he did.” (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)