Military Sex Crimes in Texas

An accusation of a sex offense is the most dangerous allegation a service member can face. Under the UCMJ, a single Article 120 charge can mean decades of confinement, a dishonorable discharge, and lifetime sex offender registration in Texas and every state you live in afterward. Military sex crimes in Texas are now investigated and prosecuted differently than they were even three years ago — and if you are under investigation by CID, OSI, NCIS, or CGIS, the case against you is already being built. Military Trial Defenders represents service members in all branches across Texas, from Fort Hood and Fort Bliss to Joint Base San Antonio, with a 90% acquittal rate, transparent flat-fee pricing, and 24/7 availability. These cases sit at the center of our court-martial practice in Texas.

Why Service Members in Texas Hire Us for Sex Offense Cases

Sex offense courts-martial are not ordinary criminal cases. They turn on forensic interview technique, delayed reporting, digital evidence, expert testimony on memory and intoxication, and the credibility rules in M.R.E. 412 and 513. As civilian counsel, we bring that specialized experience to your case without the caseload that stretches appointed defense counsel thin.

• 90% acquittal rate in court-martial and military justice cases
• Former active-duty JAGs — Shea Hoxie and Lance Wood have both prosecuted and defended sex offense cases
• Transparent flat-fee billing — no hourly surprises when your case takes months
• 24–48 hour response guarantee, available 24/7
• Representation for active duty, Reserve, and National Guard in every branch

Sex Offenses Under the UCMJ

“Military sex crimes” covers a range of punitive articles, each with different elements and very different maximum punishments:

• Article 120 — Rape and Sexual Assault. Includes rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, and abusive sexual contact. Consent and capacity are usually the contested issues.
• Article 120b — Sexual Offenses Against Children. The most severely punished offenses in the code, carrying the possibility of life without parole.
• Article 120c — Other Sexual Misconduct. Indecent viewing, visual recording, or broadcasting; forcible pandering; indecent exposure.
• Article 117a — Wrongful Broadcast or Distribution of Intimate Visual Images. The UCMJ’s “revenge porn” article, added in 2019 and charged more often every year.
• Article 134 — Child Pornography and Indecent Conduct. Possession, receipt, or distribution allegations, frequently arising out of a device seizure.
• Article 128b, Article 130, Article 132. Domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation charges that often accompany a sexual assault allegation.
• Article 80 — Attempts, including sting operations run by civilian task forces and later referred to a court-martial.

We also defend allegations that never reach trial but still end a career. If the command pursues nonjudicial punishment or a discharge board instead, the standard of proof is lower and the outcome still follows you. Our Article 120 defense page breaks down the elements in more detail.

What Changed: Independent Prosecutors and What It Means for You

Since the establishment of the military’s independent special trial counsel, commanders no longer decide whether a sexual assault allegation goes to court-martial. That decision now rests with specially trained prosecutors outside your chain of command whose entire job is trying these cases. Practically, that means three things for a service member accused in Texas:

1. The “my commander knows me” defense is gone. Character and duty performance still matter at sentencing, but they no longer stop a referral.
2. You are opposed by specialists. The prosecution team is experienced, resourced, and focused on sex offenses exclusively.
3. The pre-referral window is decisive. Most of what determines the outcome — your statement, your phone, your text messages, the alleged victim’s initial account — is locked in before charges are ever preferred.

Your accuser also has a Special Victims’ Counsel or Victims’ Legal Counsel representing their interests from the first day. You should not be the only party in the case without dedicated counsel of your own.

Do Not Talk. Do Not Explain. Do Not Consent to a Search.

The single most common way a defensible case becomes an unwinnable one is a voluntary interview. Investigators are permitted to mislead you about the evidence they have. A friendly interview framed as “your side of the story” is a recorded statement being taken for the prosecution.

• Invoke Article 31(b) rights and request counsel. Say it clearly, then stop talking.
• Do not consent to a search of your phone, laptop, or quarters. Make them get authorization.
• Do not contact the accuser — not to apologize, not to clarify, not through a friend. This creates new charges under Article 132 and violates any military protective order in place.
• Preserve everything. Texts, DMs, photos, ride-share records, door access logs, and unit rosters have all won cases. Do not delete anything.

Sex Crime Defense at Every Texas Installation

Texas has one of the largest concentrations of military personnel in the country, and each installation has its own investigative and judicial rhythm. We represent service members at:

• Fort Hood (Killeen) — III Armored Corps, formerly Fort Cavazos
• Fort Bliss (El Paso) — 1st Armored Division
• Joint Base San Antonio — Fort Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, and Randolph AFB
• Dyess AFB (Abilene) and Goodfellow AFB (San Angelo)
• Sheppard AFB (Wichita Falls) and Laughlin AFB (Del Rio)
• NAS Corpus Christi and NAS JRB Fort Worth

Our home office is in San Antonio. Learn more about our military defense lawyers in San Antonio and our base-specific sexual assault defense at Joint Base San Antonio, including Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, Lackland AFB, and Martindale Army Airfield. We also maintain an El Paso presence for Fort Bliss cases.