A military judge sentenced Master Sgt. Elvis A. Puente-Gonzalez, 38, to 45 months confinement, reduction in rank to private E-1, and a bad conduct discharge for sexually abusing his minor stepdaughter. The sentence comes immediately following his conviction on May 30.
The abuse occurred from March 2021 through December 2023 while he was assigned to Fort Novosel, Ala., formerly called Fort Rucker, and Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Investigators from the Army Criminal Investigation Division were notified that during a post-retirement employment interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Chicago, Puente-Gonzalez confessed to sexually abusing his stepdaughter.
While traveling home, he called his wife and stepdaughter requesting they not speak to police. He was placed into pre-trial confinement upon his return to Fort Leavenworth based on these actions. Prosecutors used his confession, evidence obtained by investigators from his wife’s phone and his stepdaughter’s testimony to convict him.
“The immediate action and investigation by CID was instrumental in securing and preserving the corroborating evidence necessary to prove this case,” said Maj. Jonathan Mathis, lead prosecutor, Fourth Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
Puente-Gonzalez was convicted of three specifications of sexual abuse of a child, two specifications of abusive sexual contact and one specification of obstruction of justice in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He was acquitted of one specification of obstruction of justice.
“Cases involving abuse of children are incredibly complex – not only because of the difficulty in proving them but in navigating the family dynamics,” said Mathis. “Patience and perseverance ultimately gave a young girl the opportunity to finally confront and convict her offender.”
The investigation was conducted by Army CID Special Agents Deborah Carrasco, Teresa Herring and Holly Ondish. The case was prosecuted by Mathis and Capt. Brandon Truss, Fort Leavenworth Trial Counsel.
| Date Taken: | 05.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.31.2024 16:16 |
| Story ID: | 472780 |
| Location: | FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 629 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Army Soldier Convicted for Sexual Abuse of a Child, by Michelle McCaskill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
