Latest news with #88thAirBaseWing
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Air Force Commander Punished with 21 Days' Confinement, Forfeiture of Pay After Guilty Plea
A former commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio was sentenced to 21 days in confinement and forfeiture of pay after he pleaded guilty to having an inappropriate relationship with a staff sergeant despite being ordered by superiors to stop. Col. Christopher Meeker, the former commander of Wright-Patterson's 88th Air Base Wing, was sentenced Tuesday evening after entering a guilty plea to violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including Article 90, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, and Article 134, fraternization. As part of his plea agreement, the government dismissed a specification of extramarital sexual conduct that he was previously charged with. Col. Matthew Stoffel, the judge in the case, sentenced Meeker to 21 days' confinement at the Ohio base, as well as reprimand and forfeiture of $7,000 of pay per month for two months, a news release from Air Force Materiel Command said. Read Next: Vehicle Incident at Border Kills 2 Marines, Injures Another; Investigation Underway A UCMJ legal expert told that the case is significant, noting that it's quite uncommon for those types of cases to end in imprisonment and adding they often are settled with administrative and nonjudicial punishment. "There was something extra egregious here," Eric Carpenter, a former military lawyer who is now a law professor at Florida International University, told in an interview Wednesday. "The jail time really probably reflected the egregiousness of the violation of the orders." Meeker had been removed from his command of the 88th Air Base Wing on Dec. 29, 2023, by Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, the commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. But the behavior that led to the court-martial took place after Meeker's time in that leadership position, the base said in the news release. "Air Force prosecutors said Meeker fraternized by engaging in a personal and sexual relationship with a staff sergeant," the news release from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said. "He also disobeyed Shipton's direct order to discontinue all electronic and personal contact with the enlisted airman by continuing the relationship." Meeker was eventually charged Oct. 25 with violations of three articles of the UCMJ. Shipton had transferred the case to 18th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Charles Bolton, who served as the convening authority, due to potentially being called as a witness in the case. Notably, Meeker opted to waive an Article 32 pre-trial hearing and, upon entering a guilty plea Tuesday, "permanently waived his right to present evidence and had to explain why he was guilty." Meeker did not answer a phone call or text messages sent to a number listed for him in public records Wednesday. Wright-Patterson detailed that Meeker said he "willfully disobeyed" an in-person and electronic no-contact offer and that he acted "selfishly, for my own personal happiness." Meeker marks the latest Air Force officer in recent years to plead guilty during court-martial proceedings. Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, the former commander of the 19th Air Force, faced a court-martial last year after being accused of sexual assault and other allegations by a subordinate. He pleaded guilty to some of the lesser charges and was found not guilty of sexual assault. Former Maj. Gen. William Cooley, previously the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, was convicted in 2022 of forcibly kissing his sister-in-law and then retired as a colonel. Related: 2-Star Air Force General Pleads Guilty to Unprofessional Relationship, Adultery as Sexual Assault Trial Begins
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Wright-Patt commander is now confined on base
Apr. 16—Col. Christopher Meeker has started the confinement portion of his sentence on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the base he once led as installation commander. "He is at the confinement facility on base," Derek Kaufman, spokesman for the Air Force Materiel Command, said Wednesday. In a one-day court-martial at the base Tuesday, Meeker, the former commander of the 88th Air Base Wing, pled guilty to willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and fraternization. During the trial, Meeker acknowledged having a personal and sexual relationship with a non-commissioned officer at Wright-Patterson, a staff sergeant, after Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at the base, ordered him not to have contact with the NCO. As part of a plea agreement revealed during the trial, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss a specification of extramarital sexual conduct against Meeker. He was sentenced to 21 days confinement, a reprimand, and forfeiture of $14,000, or $7,000 of pay a month for two months. In military courts-martial, the sentencing phase immediately follows the findings phase, which determines guilt or innocence, Air Force Materiel Command said in a statement. "Absent restrictions imposed by terms of the plea agreement, the maximum punishment was dismissal, reprimand, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for seven years," AFMC said. Meeker told a judge that he "willfully disobeyed" the no-contact order, that his behavior demonstrated a lack of personal and professional discipline, and he acted "selfishly, for my own personal happiness." Prosecutors argued that Meeker's contact with the staff sergeant took place well after Shipton had extended the original no-contact order in March last year. In an interview with Air Force investigators, the NCO painted a portrait of nearly daily contact with Meeker, electronic conversations wiped away by the Signal app and meetings for sex "four to five times a week," at a time when the no-contact order was in place. The staff sergeant has since left the Air Force Force. "Col. Meeker has been full of apologies and devoid of resolution," a prosecutor, Capt. Connor McAfee, said in a closing argument during the trial at the headquarters of the 88th Air Base Wing.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Fired wing commander admits fraternization, to be confined 3 weeks
The former installation commander of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio will serve 21 days in confinement after agreeing to a court-martial plea deal admitting fraternization. Col. Christopher Meeker, who also commanded the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patt, will also receive a reprimand and forfeit a total of $14,000 in pay. During Tuesday's court-martial at Wright-Patterson, Meeker pleaded guilty to violating articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice barring fraternization and willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer. The government dismissed a charge of extramarital sexual conduct as part of the plea agreement revealed during the trial. Prosecutors alleged Meeker inappropriately engaged in a personal and sexual relationship with a staff sergeant, which led to the fraternization charge and the dismissed extramarital sexual conduct charge. Prosecutors also said Meeker disobeyed an order from Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, to stop all electronic and personal contact with the staff sergeant. However, that behavior occurred after Meeker was fired from command of the 88th Air Base Wing. Shipton relieved him of command on Dec. 29, 2023, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead, the Air Force said. The Air Force conducted an investigation into Meeker's actions and then charged him with three violations of the UCMJ on Oct. 25, 2024. He chose to have his case decided by a military judge instead of a jury-like panel of fellow officers. Had the case gone to trial and he been found guilty of all charges, Meeker could have been confined for as much as seven years and had to forfeit all pay and allowances. Meeker admitted in court to willfully disobeying Shipton's order to cut off all contact with the enlisted airman. He said it showed a lack of personal and professional discipline, adding he acted 'selfishly, for my own personal happiness.' Meeker, who was a civil engineer in the Air Force and served for 25 years, assumed command of the 88th in July 2022.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
NEW DETAILS: Former Wright-Patt commander is now confined on base
Apr. 16—Col. Christopher Meeker has started the confinement portion of his sentence on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the base he once led as installation commander. "He is at the confinement facility on base," Derek Kaufman, spokesman for the Air Force Materiel Command, said Wednesday. In a one-day court-martial at the base Tuesday, Meeker, the former commander of the 88th Air Base Wing, pled guilty to willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and fraternization. During the trial, Meeker acknowledged having a personal and sexual relationship with a non-commissioned officer at Wright-Patterson, a staff sergeant, after Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at the base, ordered him not to have contact with the NCO. As part of a plea agreement revealed during the trial, prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss a specification of extramarital sexual conduct against Meeker. He was sentenced to to 21 days confinement, a reprimand, and forfeiture of $14,000, or $7,000 of pay a month for two months. In military courts-martial, the sentencing phase immediately follows the findings phase, which determines guilt or innocence, Air Force Materiel Command said in a statement. "Absent restrictions imposed by terms of the plea agreement, the maximum punishment was dismissal, reprimand, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for seven years," AFMC said. Meeker told a judge that he "willfully disobeyed" the in-person and electronic no-contact order, that his behavior demonstrated a lack of personal and professional discipline, and he acted "selfishly, for my own personal happiness." Prosecutors argued that Meeker's contact with the staff sergeant took place well after Shipton had extended an original no-contact order in March last year. In an interview with Air Force investigators, the NCO painted a portrait of nearly daily contact with Meeker, electronic conversations wiped away by the Signal app and meetings for sex "four to five times a week," at a time when the no-contact order was in place. The staff sergeant has since left the Air Force Force. "Col. Meeker has been full of apologies and devoid of resolution," a prosecutor, Capt. Connor McAfee, said in a closing argument during the trial at the headquarters of the 88th Air Base Wing.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Air Force Commander at Wright-Patterson Faces Court-Martial
A court-martial is underway this week for a former commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, who is accused of adultery and fraternization. Col. Christopher Meeker, the former commander of the 88th Air Base Wing, was removed from his leadership position in late December 2023. In December 2024, it was announced that he was facing three violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The charges include "one charge and one specification under Article 90, Willfully Disobeying Superior Commissioned Officer; and another charge and two specifications under Article 134, Extramarital Sexual Conduct and Fraternization," Wright-Patterson announced at the time in a press release. Read Next: Massachusetts Guard Revokes Shaving Waivers WDTN, Dayton's NBC affiliate, reported Tuesday afternoon that Meeker entered a guilty plea for all charges. Base spokespeople at Wright-Patterson did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday afternoon from asking about Meeker's plea or whether he faces a bench or jury trial. Derek Kaufman, a spokesman for Air Force Materiel Command, told on Tuesday morning that the trial is docketed for two days but that could be subject to change. The trial was originally scheduled for this summer at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. However, it was announced in December that Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Commander Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton at Wright-Patterson could "be a material witness in the case," adding the transfer to a different base was "in the interest of justice." Kaufman told in a statement that, for the "convenience of trial participants," the court-martial would take place at Wright-Patterson. Scott Air Force Base's 18th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Charles D. Bolton is still the convening authority. Such moves aren't uncommon in the military justice system. Eric Carpenter, a former military lawyer who is now a law professor at Florida International University, told in an interview Tuesday that choosing a convening authority or judge from another base eliminates any potential conflicts that might emerge, while having the trial locally prevents witnesses from having to pay for travel to a different base. "That can happen when you have a convening authority that might otherwise be conflicted," Carpenter said. "They find somebody neutral, and then that convening authority can refer the case." WHIO-TV, Dayton's CBS affiliate, reported last year that Meeker was being represented by a defense lawyer with Joint Base Langley-Eustis Area Defense Counsel. Spokespeople for the counsel group did not immediately return a request for comment asking whether it was still representing Meeker. Carpenter told that it's "pretty unusual" for any allegations of consensual affairs to go to trial in the military justice system, saying they're typically handled with administrative punishment. Meeker's trial this week follows other high-profile Air Force officers facing court-martial proceedings in recent years. Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, the former commander of the 19th Air Force, faced a court-martial last year after being accused of sexual assault and other allegations by a subordinate. He was ultimately found not guilty of sexual assault, but he pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of lesser charges. In 2022, reported on the court-martial proceedings for former Maj. Gen. William Cooley, previously the commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, who was convicted in a 2023 bench trial of forcibly kissing his sister-in-law and was the first Air Force general ever to face a military trial. Related: Former Air Force Commander at Wright-Patterson Charged with Adultery, Faces Court-Martial
