(Update: 02/15/2013): The judge sentenced LeBlanc to prison for 30 months, reduced his rank to E-1 and issued an order for a dishonorable discharge. Seventy-seven days will be subtracted from his sentence, which LeBlanc has spent in pre-trial lockup due to continued misbehavior.
(Original Post: 02/14/2013): Staff Sgt. Craig LeBlanc was acquitted Thursday on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a female trainee who had just graduated boot camp, but the former military training instructor is facing punishment for 11 other offenses.
LeBlanc was accused of 12 crimes, ranging from aggravated sexual assault to lying to military officials about his AWOL status following an arrested on public intoxication charges in New Braunfels. He was convicted on the charge of lying to his superiors by calling his unit that morning and saying he was delayed due to a problem with his sister.
Today Military Judge Donald Eller, Jr. deliberated about two hours and came back with a guilty verdict on all offenses except the aggravated sexual assault charge. That charge reflected an incident in September 2011 in a supply closet just before the trainee was to ship out after completing basic training.
LeBlanc earlier had pleaded guilty to nine charges, including adultery, having a consensual relationship with one trainee, having sex with another, maltreatment of male trainees, and being AWOL.
The offenses occurred over a period from September, 2011 through December 2012, and LeBlanc has been in pre-trial lock-up for the past 77 days based on continued misbehavior.
LeBlanc could receive up to 22 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank, and loss of all military pay and benefits.
He is the eighth Military Training Instructor to face a court-martial. The Air Force says a total of 32 instructors have been targeted by the investigation, in cases involving 62 alleged victims.
