Sexual Abuse At IE Army Base Leads To 2-Year Prison Sentence For Ex National Guard Staff Sergeant

LOS ANGELES, CA — A former Minnesota National Guard member was sentenced Friday to two years in federal prison for sexually abusing a subordinate soldier during a training mission at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County.

Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu following his conviction on one count of abusive sexual contact. Boylan was found guilty by a federal jury on April 9 after a four-day trial and has remained in federal custody since.

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According to court documents and trial evidence, the incident occurred in July 2020 while Boylan and the victim were deployed to the Inland Empire Army base for a monthlong training exercise. Boylan, then a staff sergeant, sexually abused a 23-year-old specialist under his direct command.

Under U.S. Army regulations, noncommissioned officers are strictly prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with junior soldiers due to the power dynamic and military authority involved.

The victim reported the assault to Army law enforcement, launching the investigation that led to Boylan's arrest and federal prosecution.

"Military leaders are entrusted with extraordinary responsibility, and with that responsibility comes a heightened obligation to safeguard those under their command," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. "Rather than fulfilling that obligation, [Boylan] violated it in one of the most fundamental ways possible."