Published by Cave & Freeburg LLP | Military Justice Defense Attorneys Case Citation: United States v. Castillo, No. ACM 40705 (A.F. Ct. Crim. App. Mar. 11, 2026) | Unpublished A recent Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decision — United States v. Castillo — raises an important question every military defense lawyer must understand: when…
Continue reading ›Overview The Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals (NMCCA) decided United States v. Selleneit on 17 March 2026, affirming the findings and sentence of a general court-martial tried at Naval Station Rota, Spain. Fire Controlman Aegis Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) George B. Selleneit faced charges of sexual assault under Article 120, UCMJ, and unlawful…
Continue reading ›When “Not Guilty” Still Costs You: Acquitted Conduct Sentencing in Military Court-Martial Being found not guilty on a charge should mean something. But in both federal and military courts, a “not guilty” verdict on one count can still drive up the punishment on counts where the jury did convict you. This practice — called acquitted…
Continue reading ›Plea agreement bad faith by trial counsel does not just harm one defendant. It fractures the foundation that military justice runs on. A March 2026 ruling from the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals—United States v. Gonzalez—puts that reality on the record and demands attention from every military legal professional. What Happened in Gonzalez Marine…
Continue reading ›Background An enlisted panel convicted Staff Sergeant David Ingram of attempted sexual abuse of a child, attempted receipt of child pornography, and solicitation of child pornography distribution. The charges arose from messages Ingram exchanged on the Whisper app with an adult decoy posing as a fifteen-year-old as part of a “to catch a predator” operation.…
Continue reading ›United States v. Munn (ARMY 20250252) United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals — Summary Disposition (25 Feb 2026) Procedural Posture PFC Elijah T. Munn pleaded guilty at a special court-martial to attempted patronage of a prostitute under Article 80, UCMJ. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the government moved to dismiss: with dismissal “without prejudice to ripen into prejudice” upon…
Continue reading ›Government appeals under Article 62 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) involve some of the most procedurally complex cases in the military justice system. When the Government challenges a military judge’s ruling during an ongoing court-martial, the case unexpectedly shifts from trial litigation to appellate practice. Defense counsel must quickly defend a favorable ruling before…
Continue reading ›Government appeals under Article 62 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) involve some of the most procedurally complex cases in the military justice system. When the Government challenges a military judge’s ruling during an ongoing court-martial, the case unexpectedly shifts from trial litigation to appellate practice. Defense counsel must quickly defend a favorable…
Continue reading ›The Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) scandal—commonly referred to as the “Fat Leonard” case—was one of the largest corruption investigations in the history of the U.S. Navy. The scheme centered on Leonard Glenn Francis, the head of GDMA, a Singapore-based ship husbanding contractor that serviced U.S. Navy vessels throughout the Western Pacific. Beginning in the…
Continue reading ›United States v. Munn (ARMY 20250252) United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals — Summary Disposition (25 Feb 2026) Procedural Posture PFC Elijah T. Munn pleaded guilty at a special court-martial to attempted patronage of a prostitute under Article 80, UCMJ. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the government moved to dismiss: with dismissal “without prejudice to ripen into prejudice” upon…
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