The Air Force is adding two, sexual-misconduct charges against Chief Master Sgt. Jose Barraza, the former 12th Air Force command chief master sergeant who was fired as command chief in November under the stereotypical “loss of confidence” justification.
The service added two specifications of indecent recording under Article 120c to Barraza’s case, according to a statement.
Barraza’s preliminary charges include one specification for willfully disobeying an order, seven specifications for dereliction of duty, two specifications for making false official statements and five specifications for obstruction of justice in violation of UCMJ Articles 90, 92, 107 and 134 respectively. The 355th Fighter Wing Commander, Col. Scott C. Campbell, preferred the specifications. Campbell preferred the additional charges May 18.
The additional charges were added following an Air Force Office of Special Investigations inquiry into Barraza, an Air Combat Command official told Military.com Monday.
UCMJ Article 120c charges specify offenses such as indecent viewing, recording or broadcast, forcible pandering or indecent exposure. The rule was designated in 2012 to address miscellaneous sexual misconduct, according to Military.com.
Barraza is set to go before a judge for an Article 32 — a preliminary hearing to determine if a court-martial should be pursued — at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The hearing will determine whether there will be “a request for more evidence,” a dismissal or the case should move forward to court-martial, Military.com reports.
In an effort to bring our readers a more in-depth analysis of this story, JQP submitted a Freedom of Information Act request and to date has been ignored by the Air Force. However, an ACC official told Military.com the service is being particularly mum on the charges surrounding Barraza’s case, given the OSI investigation.
Barraza is currently assigned to the 355th Operations Group at Davis-Monthan and carrying out duties during the ongoing legal process, the official told Military.com.
Military.com reports a timeline for the alleged crimes is not being disclosed.
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