USNS Comfort Panama Assault Report File

Panama Liberty Assault Report and Earlier Blackout-Sex Allegation Ended With No Charges Recommended.

NCIS records say the alleged victim described being pushed and held down during liberty in Panama City. She also reported blacking out after about seven shots at an earlier house party, waking naked beside the accused, and being told they had unprotected sex she did not remember and did not want. The case closed after legal review cited her declination to participate and lack of corroborating evidence.

Sexual AssaultPhysical AssaultUSNS ComfortPanama CityAlcoholVictim Declined ParticipationNo Charges Preferred

This page summarizes one Naval Criminal Investigative Service case file. The source PDF and optical character recognition transcript appear below so readers can compare the summary against the record.

What the NCIS File Says

A victim advocate notified a special agent afloat on August 4, 2019, that a Naval Medical Center Portsmouth member had made an unrestricted report while USNS Comfort was in Panama. The report involved a physical assault during liberty in Panama City and an earlier sexual assault allegation from April 2019.

In the Panama incident, the alleged victim said she and the accused argued after massages on August 2, 2019. She reported that he pushed her against a wall repeatedly and held her down against a coffee table for about 45 minutes while preventing her from leaving the room.

She also reported that months earlier, after drinking about seven shots at a house party, she blacked out and woke naked beside the accused, who was also naked. She said he told her they had sex without protection, and she told him she did not remember anything and did not want that to happen.

NCIS records say photographs were taken of injuries to both people, the accused admitted pushing her after initially denying the physical assault, and he said the sexual intercourse was consensual. Regional Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic reviewed the case and recommended against preferring charges due to the victim's declination to participate and lack of corroborating evidence.

Case Timeline

April 2019

Earlier allegation

The alleged victim reported blackout sex after a house party.

August 2, 2019

Panama assault

She reported that the accused pushed and held her down during liberty in Panama City.

August 4, 2019

Unrestricted report

A victim advocate notified the special agent afloat.

August 5, 2019

Shipboard interview

The alleged victim was interviewed aboard USNS Comfort.

February 12, 2021

Disposition obtained

NCIS obtained the Sexual Assault Disposition Report.

Why This Record Matters

The file combines a deployment liberty physical assault allegation with an earlier alcohol-related sexual assault report.

Injury photographs and admissions about pushing did not lead to sexual assault charges because legal review cited victim declination and lack of corroboration.

The accused was pending administrative separation for unrelated offenses, which should not be described as discipline for this allegation.

NCIS Source Document

This is the NCIS Report of Investigation for the USNS Comfort file. MLAA has preserved the source PDF, Bates range, and NCIS file number so readers can inspect the record directly.

First page preview for Panama Liberty Assault Report and Earlier Blackout-Sex Allegation Ended With No Charges Recommended.

First page of the NCIS case file.

Source type: NCIS investigation file
Command or vessel: NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER PORTSMOUTH VA/00183
NCIS file number: 07AUG19-SEPZ-00303-8SNA/C
Bates range: 0058-0059
Source file length: 2 pages

View NCIS Source PDF for Case 07AUG19-SEPZ-00303-8SNA/C

Readable OCR Transcript

The transcript below reproduces the substantive report text from the NCIS file in readable form, including the executive summary when one appears in the source. Paragraph numbers come from the original report. Redactions are shown as [REDACTED]. Because the text was generated from OCR, verify exact quotations against the source PDF.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. On 04AUG19, Special Agent Afloat [REDACTED] notified by [REDACTED], Victim Advocate, about an unrestricted report of sexual assault. [REDACTED] advised [REDACTED] Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA (NMCP), reported she was physically assaulted by [REDACTED] NMCP, during liberty in Panama City, Panama on 02AUG19. [REDACTED] further reported she was sexually assaulted by [REDACTED] APR19. At the time of the report, SAA [REDACTED] the ship and unable to return until 005AUG19. On 05AUG19, [REDACTED] interviewed aboard USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). (bj), [REDACTED]_ reported on 02AUG19, her and [REDACTED] into an argument following massages, while on liberty in Panama City [REDACTED] pushed [REDACTED] against the wall repeatedly. Furthermore [REDACTED] Stated he held her down against the coffee table and would not let her leave the room for approximately 45 minutes. (by), [REDACTED] further reported that in APR19 [REDACTED] invited her to a house party at one of his friend's houses. Upon arrival [REDACTED] seemed intoxicated and [REDACTED] began drinking. After approximately three hours and approximately seven shots of alcohol, § [REDACTED] "blacked out". [REDACTED] woke up naked next to [REDACTED] also naked. [REDACTED] asked [REDACTED] what happened and he informed her that the two of them had sex. She asked him if he used protection, to which [REDACTED] replied no. [REDACTED] informed [REDACTED] did not remember anything and did not want that to happen. Photographs were taken of both [REDACTED] injuries and [REDACTED] injuries [REDACTED] originally denied the physical assault and then admitted to pushing [REDACTED] Stated the sexual intercourse was consensual. On 27DEC19, NCISRU Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, VA (NMCP) received the contents of the [REDACTED] casefile via registered mail and accepted case control. NCISRU NMCP interviewed — [REDACTED], NMCP and [REDACTED], USN, Navy Public Affairs East, in order to confirm the persons involved with documenting the physical injuries to and [REDACTED] NCISRA Annapolis interviewed) [REDACTED], USN, Naval Medical Center Annapolis, confirmed she also helped document the injuries to [REDACTED] aboard the USNS Comfort circa AUG19. This investigation was reviewed by the Regional Legal Service Office (RLSO) Mid-Atlantic. The Prosecutorial Merit Review (PMR) recommended against preferring criminal charges due to the victim's declination to participate in military justice action and the lack administrative separation for unrelated offenses and is pending a separation date. This investigation is closed.

NARRATIVE

1. This reactive investigation was initiated pursuant to a suspected violation of Article 120 (Sexual Assault) and Article 128 (Assault) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

2. Reference (A) through (D) documents previous investigative activity concerning the captioned investigation.

3. On 12FEB21, the Sexual Assault Disposition Report (SADR) was obtained from [REDACTED] MILJUS Clerk-Legal Department, NMCP. The SADR indicated command action was precluded due to the victim's declination to participate in military justice action and the lack of corroborating separation for unrelated offenses and is pending a separation date; Exhibit (14) pertains.

4. On 16FEB21 [REDACTED] Commanding Officer O), NMCP; [REDACTED] ¢) Command Staff Judge Advocate JA); [REDACTED], Trail Counsel (TC); [REDACTED] Victim Legal Counsel (VLC) [REDACTED], SARC, were apprised of the closure of this investigation. Additional SVIP notifications were made on 08JAN21, 17NOV20, 30APR20, 09MAR20, 02MAR20 and 27FEB20.

5. This investigation is closed.