Federal judge imposes 24-month prison sentence after jury convicted former staff sergeant of abusive sexual contact involving a junior soldier during a 2020 training mission.
LOS ANGELES — A former Minnesota National Guard staff sergeant was sentenced Friday to 24 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a subordinate during a training exercise at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County, federal prosecutors announced.
Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu after a federal jury convicted him in April of one count of abusive sexual contact.
In a sentencing memorandum, federal prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of Boylan’s abuse of authority.
“Military leaders are entrusted with extraordinary responsibility, and with that responsibility comes a heightened obligation to safeguard those under their command,” prosecutors wrote. “Rather than fulfilling that obligation, [Boylan] violated it in one of the most fundamental ways possible.”
Boylan has remained in federal custody since April 9, when a jury found him guilty following a four-day trial.
Fact Checklist
- Defendant: Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Sentence: 24 months in federal prison
- Charge: One count of abusive sexual contact
- Conviction: Found guilty by a federal jury on April 9 after a four-day trial
- Victim: 23-year-old female subordinate serving as a specialist
- Incident: July 2020 training mission at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County
- Military Rank: Boylan was a staff sergeant and noncommissioned officer
- Violation: Sexually abused a subordinate under his authority
- Investigating Agencies: FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division
- Sentencing Judge: U.S. District Judge Wesley L. Hsu
According to court documents and trial evidence, Boylan was serving as a staff sergeant in the Minnesota National Guard during a monthlong training deployment to Fort Irwin in July 2020. During the deployment, Boylan sexually abused a 23-year-old female subordinate, who held the rank of specialist.
As a noncommissioned officer, Boylan outranked the victim and exercised authority over her. Army regulations prohibit noncommissioned officers from engaging in sexual relationships with junior enlisted soldiers because of the power imbalance and authority they hold.
The victim reported the assault to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, triggering an investigation that ultimately resulted in Boylan’s arrest and federal prosecution.