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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Former Air Force member charged with sexual assault at UK base

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Lisa O. Monaco Deputy Attorney General | Official Website

A former U.S. Air Force member has been indicted for a 2019 sexual assault at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. The indictment, unsealed today in the Southern District of Florida, charges James Loubeau, 36, from Miami, with one count of sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact.

Loubeau appeared in court today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The indictment alleges that on May 4, 2019, Loubeau sexually assaulted another service member at the airbase. Following this incident, he was discharged from the Air Force in March 2020.

The charges were filed under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA), which allows U.S. jurisdiction over certain offenses committed abroad by individuals who have served with the armed forces but are no longer subject to military prosecution.

If found guilty, Loubeau could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will decide his sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.

The announcement was made by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Michael Koellner from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI); and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri from FBI’s Miami Field Office.

The investigation is being conducted by both the Air Force OSI and FBI.

Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arielle Klepach for the Southern District of Florida are handling prosecution duties.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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