Air Force instructor convicted of rape, assault

Air Force Staff Sgt. Luis Walker arrives for the fourth day of his trial at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas on July 20, 2012. / Billy Calzada,AP Photo/San Antonio Express News

Updated July 21, 2012, 12:04 AM ET

(AP) SAN ANTONIO - An Air Force instructor implicated in a sweeping sex scandal at one of the nation's busiest military training bases was convicted in military court Friday of raping one female recruit and sexually assaulting several others.

Staff Sgt. Luis Walker, the first Lackland Air Force Base instructor to stand trial in the scandal, was found guilty by a jury of seven military personnel on all 28 counts he faced, including rape, aggravated sexual contact and multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault.

The jury deleted a clause from two counts that accused Walker of making flirtatious and lewd comments to trainees. However, it upheld the overall counts containing the deleted clauses, which accused him of trying to cultivate a sexual relationship with two trainees.

Walker faces up to life in prison and a dishonorable discharge at his sentencing hearing, which starts Saturday. He showed no emotion upon hearing the verdict. Outside the base courtroom afterward, Walker was met by his father and other relatives, some of whom were crying. He will remain free pending sentencing.

Walker is among 12 Lackland instructors investigated for sexual misconduct toward at least 31 female trainees. Six instructors have been charged on counts ranging from rape to adultery. Walker faced the most serious charges and was the first to stand trial.

Lackland is where every American airman receives basic training. It has about 475 instructors for the approximately 35,000 airmen who graduate every year. About one in five is female, pushed through eight weeks of basic training by a group of instructors, 90 percent of whom are men.

The sexual misconduct at the base apparently began in 2009, but the first woman didn't come forward until last year. The first allegations were levied against Walker, who is accused of crimes that allegedly took place between October 2010 and January 2011.

According to prosecutors, Walker had sexual intercourse with 4 of the 10 female recruits. He was also accused of making flirtatious or sexually suggestive comments, sending inappropriate text messages and sometimes groping his recruits.

Walker also is accused of forcing five recruits to engage in sexual acts by threatening their military careers and intimidating two of the women into lying about his alleged misconduct, prosecutors alleged.

Several of Walker's alleged victims testified during his court-martial, including one airman who described how Walker lured her into an office and sexually assaulted her on a bed, ignoring her pleas to stop.

The women told jurors that Walker gained their trust to get them alone in his office or an empty dormitory where he forced them into kissing, touching and intercourse. Those testifying said they didn't tell anybody at first because they feared being booted from the Air Force.

The Associated Press is not naming those who testified because they are alleged sexual assault victims.

Meanwhile, the case of another former Air Force training instructor has been referred to a general court-martial, according to an Air Force statement issued Friday evening.

Staff Sgt. Craig LeBlanc is charged with sexual misconduct, obstructing justice and making a false official statement. He is accused of using his post as a military instructor to sexually assault and pursue a sexual relationship with one female trainee, and have a wrongful sexual relationship with another. No trial date has been set.

One of the other instructors charged in the case, Staff Sgt. Peter Vega-Maldonado, pleaded guilty in June, admitting he had sex with a female trainee in exchange for a sentence of 90 days' confinement. He later acknowledged he had been involved with a total of 10 trainees — a number previously unknown to investigators.

[euge005]

Well it's not like this happened in America, it was Texas. The place that had morals so low that they sent us both W and Chnaey.

[brenda17202000]

the state that wife abuse is legal,my divorce judge asked if i said to obey when we said our vowels...so my medical records were thrown out

[Oldgee60]

I see justice is swift in this case. And yet an Army major who killed 13 people in 2009 is still on active duty and STILL ON TRIAL. He was wounded in the commission of his crime...what the hell is taking so long?

[55minus5]

At least he didn't shoot them...

[phwtb100]

Like so many others, give them a "suit" and a tie and they begin to think and act as if they are some sort of a god.

I will not insult our MEN by referring to this piece of trash as one, so I will just say, how horribly tragic it is, that in this day and time, a MALE still can't seem to get the big one to override the little one.



"He showed no emotion upon hearing the verdict."

Like other rapists who have been convicted, perhaps HE will find his more sensitive, emotional side when he encounters the experience of 'an eye for an eye' once he finds himself 'confined' to his quarters in his future "real world".

My heart goes out to the victims, but this needs to be a warning to ALL women who choose to enter into a mans' world, "Think twice and carry a very big stick."

[robert1129]

I went through Lackland basic and live about 100 miles from San Antonio. The area holds so many single beautiful ladies that they outnumber the men in the area some where our 8 to 1. Why these stupid instructors felt it was necessary for them to pick on the recruits is something no one will ever understand.

[Bojax39]

Military instructors are professionally trained bullies. They are taught how to coerce and intimidate others as part of their job. How else do you control and train a large crowd of young specimens, many of whom could kick your ass?

Like many bullies some get off on the feeling of forbidden power they can exercise over somebody more than the actual physical satisfaction they gain. So why did they do this? Because they could......

[AOCGUY]

Bojax, you have no idea of what you are talking about. In every profession there are those that abuse their position, however the overwhelming percentage of Military Trining Instructors are proud professionels committed to preparing our miltary personnel for the tough task of defending your right to say stupid things. BTW I spent 28 years in the military and another 10 as a contract military training instructor. During my time in uniform I had many opportunities to observe instructors as a student /trainee and spent four years in uniform as an instructor as well. Not once did I ever see any instructor abuse their position or their students.

[sexylady1888]

The shameful part is that I have had two Nephews go thru Lackland in the last 2 years. They are so proud to be Airman and so disappointed to hear something so disgraceful....... Get rid of the SCUM!!!!!!!!!!!

[hypnotoad72]

And I thought only homosexuals sullied the military by acting in uncivilized behaviors in order to drive down the good name of an institution, where fellow soldiers would work in fear of being sexually harassed or assaulted...

Or so we've all been told in the past...

I think we need to ban all heterosexuals from the military. This Walker guy is hardly the first "man" in uniform to engage in predatory acts...

Make note of where my sarcasm is...

[Bojax39]

by hypnotoad72: "Make note of where my sarcasm is.."

Noted, and appreciated.... :-)