Legal proceedings set for cadets

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Four cadets are facing legal proceedings here Nov. 20 and 24. Three of the cadets are charged with drug use, and one is charged with sexual assault.

Cadet 1st Class Jacob Billeter faces a court-martial Nov. 20 for allegedly using Ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and an Ecstasy derivative. He was also charged with distributing Ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and mushrooms containing psilocybin and/or psilocyn.

Billeter was charged Oct. 24. He waived his Article 32 hearing under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If convicted on all charges, Billeter faces a maximum punishment of 80 years confinement, dismissal from the Air Force and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.

Cadet 1st Class James Long will have an Article 32 hearing Nov. 20. He was charged with falsely making official statements that he knew nothing about illegal drug use by cadets assigned here. Long was also charged with using cocaine and Ecstasy, and obstructing justice.

If Long’s case goes to a court-martial and he is convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 20 years confinement, dismissal from the Air Force and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.

Cadet 1st Class John-Paul Doolin faces a court-martial Nov. 24. He was charged Oct. 31 with three counts of using Ecstasy, ketamine and mushrooms containing psilocybin and/or psilocyn. Doolin was also charged with two counts of using and distributing an Ecstasy derivative.

If convicted of all charges, Doolin faces a maximum of 17 years confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and dismissal from the Air Force.

An arraignment for Cadet 3rd Class Douglas Meester is set for Nov. 24, where he will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. He was charged on May 13 with rape, forcible sodomy, providing alcohol to minors and indecent assault. He met an Article 32 hearing May 14, where it was determined his case would go forward to a court-martial.

On July 8, Meester submitted a letter of request to Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche asking to resign from the Air Force in lieu of court-martial. Roche denied that request on Oct. 10, and the case will now proceed to court-martial.

If convicted on all charges, Meester faces a maximum punishment of confinement for life, dismissal from the Air Force and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.