82nd Airborne spokesperson James Wilt confirmed to XBiz that three of the soldiers, Spc. Richard T. Ashley, Pfc. Wesley K. Mitten and Pvt. Kagen B. Mullen, will face courts-martial on charges of sodomy, pandering and having sex for money while being filmed with the intent to broadcast the footage over the Internet, all violations of the military’s Code of Conduct.
An arraignment is scheduled for March 7, Wilt added.
Wilt would not divulge the name of the website nor the other four soldiers being charged.
“We do not release names of people who receive nonjudicial punishments,” he said, “but they are being recommended for separation from the Army.”
In regard to the website, Wilt did say that “the Associated Press story has all the information on that,” essentially confirming that the site in question is ActiveDuty.com, which features military-themed adult material. Custodian of records for the site is listed as D. Ashe of Fayetteville, N.C., a town abutting Fort Bragg.
A long list of disclaimers on the site’s entry page insist that visitors agree they are not agents of the U.S. government, lawyers for the Defense Department, affiliated with any law enforcement agency or reporters.
Wilt said the unnamed soldiers face charges including underage drinking, drunken driving and adultery. Their punishments include reduction to the rank of private, 45 days of restriction to the unit area, 45 days of extra duty and forfeiture of a month’s pay.
All seven soldiers were based out of Fort Bragg and were members of the 2nd Batallion of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, according to Wilt.