United States v. Jacinto — Case Analysis U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces | Decided February 2, 2026 What Happened The Navy court-martialed Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class Salvador Jacinto for sexually abusing his minor stepdaughter, E.B. A panel convicted him of rape of a child and three…
Published by Cave & Freeburg LLP | Military Justice Defense Attorneys Case Citation: United States v. Castillo, No. ACM 40705 (A.F. Ct. Crim. App. Mar. 11, 2026) | Unpublished A recent Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decision — United States v. Castillo — raises an important question every military…
Overview The Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) decided United States v. Selleneit on 17 March 2026, affirming the findings and sentence of a general court-martial tried at Naval Station Rota, Spain. Fire Controlman Aegis Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) George B. Selleneit faced charges of sexual assault under…
When “Not Guilty” Still Costs You: Acquitted Conduct Sentencing in Military Court-Martial Being found not guilty on a charge should mean something. But in both federal and military courts, a “not guilty” verdict on one count can still drive up the punishment on counts where the jury did convict you.…
Government appeals under Article 62 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) involve some of the most procedurally complex cases in the military justice system. When the Government challenges a military judge’s ruling during an ongoing court-martial, the case unexpectedly shifts from trial litigation to appellate practice. Defense counsel…
The Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) scandal—commonly referred to as the “Fat Leonard” case—was one of the largest corruption investigations in the history of the U.S. Navy. The scheme centered on Leonard Glenn Francis, the head of GDMA, a Singapore-based ship husbanding contractor that serviced U.S. Navy vessels throughout the…
United States v. Munn (ARMY 20250252) United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals — Summary Disposition (25 Feb 2026) Procedural Posture PFC Elijah T. Munn pleaded guilty at a special court-martial to attempted patronage of a prostitute under Article 80, UCMJ. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the government moved to…
Senior Airman Brennen J. Patterson served in the U.S. Air Force and stood before a general court-martial convened at Joint Base San Antonio–Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The military judge accepted Patterson’s plea, pursuant to a plea agreement, to one specification of illegal transportation of an alien within the United States…
On Jan. 28, 2026, the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) issued its decision in United States v. Poller, affirming both the findings and sentence imposed at general court-martial for Hos- pital Corpsman Third Class (E-4) Chase R. Poller. Poller pleaded guilty to multiple violations of Article 134, UCMJ…
In United States v. Taylor, NMCCA No. 202400313, the United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) delivered a clear message about the limits of circumstantial evidence in CSAM prosecutions when the Government fails to connect digital evidence to the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Decided 29 January 2026,…