A senior civilian staffer on the U.S. Army Academy at West Level has been fired after being arrested on a felony cost of prison sexual conduct, in response to courtroom paperwork.
William Gentry, who was West Level’s deputy brigade tactical officer, was arraigned Nov. 20 in Michigan on a second-degree prison sexual conduct cost, which carries a most penalty of 15 years in jail. The character of the alleged crime was not disclosed within the courtroom paperwork and beneath state legislation may contain all kinds of sexual contact.
Gentry, 56, had been employed as a senior administrative official since February however was fired from the academy shortly after his arrest earlier this month. Beforehand, he was an infantryman within the Army, serving quite a few excursions throughout Afghanistan and Iraq. He left the service as a sergeant main.
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“The U.S. Army Academy takes these allegations very severely,” Lt. Col. Terence Kelley, an academy spokesman, advised Army.com in an announcement. “The fees are unrelated to his function at West Level, and we assisted New York State legislation enforcement in his arrest and extradition to Michigan, terminated his employment, and he won’t return to West Level.”
Kelley added that there are not any identified allegations of any misconduct involving cadets or different personnel affiliated with West Level.
It’s unclear what the specifics for the allegations in Michigan are, primarily based on publicly obtainable courtroom paperwork. Gentry is due again in courtroom Dec. 5. It was additionally unknown whether or not he had obtained authorized counsel.
Gentry’s awards embrace the Legion of Benefit, six Meritorious Service Medals, 10 Army Commendation Medals, a Fight Infantryman Badge, and Drill Sergeant Identification Badge.
That is the second high-profile incident involving conduct at West Level in latest months. In August, the Army quietly fired West Level’s garrison commander, Col. Anthony Bianchi, an artillery officer. It is unclear what led to Bianchi’s termination; he didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark from Army.com, and his lawyer declined to remark.
Bianchi was commissioned out of West Level in 1997, and he took command of the garrison in 2022.
He was fired by Lt. Gen. Omar Jones, commanding normal of U.S. Army Set up Administration Command, “resulting from a lack of belief and confidence in his potential to command,” a spokesperson stated in an announcement in October, however these statements are blanket responses to press inquiries on officer misconduct that may vary from normal misconduct to prison accusations.
— Steve Beynon may be reached at Steve.Beynon@navy.com. Comply with him on X @StevenBeynon.
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