1 Demoted, 2 Discharged in Army Sex Cases

A drill sergeant was demoted and two others were discharged Monday in sexual abuse cases at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The action leaves two cases pending of 12 that constituted the biggest sex scandal in Army history.

A military jury decided that Staff Sgt. Herman Gunter, 30, of Haines City, Fla., should be demoted and reprimanded for trying to hug and kiss a female trainee and obstructing an investigation into his behavior.

Gunter, who was convicted last week, could have been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison. The jury ordered him demoted by two grades to specialist fourth class, E-4, which corresponds to a rank of corporal.

Sgts. 1st Class Ronald Moffett, 30, of Hope Mills, N.C., and Tony Cross, 34, of Houston, agreed to be discharged in lieu of courts-martial. Both had been scheduled for trial this week.

In a statement distributed by his lawyers, Moffett said he didn’t think he would have gotten a fair trial because of “negative publicity generated by the Army surrounding my case and others that the Army says are similar to mine.”

Moffett was charged with indecent assault, indecent language, adultery, cruelty and maltreatment, and violating an order prohibiting social relationships with trainees. His case involved four female soldiers.

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Cross, a 14-year enlisted man, faced charges of adultery, sodomy, wrongfully socializing with trainees and failing to report prohibited relationships. The charges involved four female trainees.

Neither Cross nor his lawyers answered telephone calls to their homes and offices Monday evening.

Of the other Aberdeen defendants, one was convicted of rape, three were convicted of other sexual misconduct, one was cleared of sexual misconduct charges and two agreed to be discharged in lieu of court-martial.