FORT NOVOSEL, Ala. – A retired master sergeant recalled to active duty was court-martialed for raping three children.
Master Sgt. (retired) William A. Brassfield, 63, pleaded guilty these crimes and was sentenced by the military judge to eight years in prison and reduction in grade to E-1 at his trial May 30 at the Fort Novosel Courtroom.
Prior to retiring in 2008, Brassfield was a chief instructor at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas. He was administratively assigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade at Fort Novosel for the purposes of his court-martial.
He raped his first victim, age 11, on or about April 1989 – August 1989 in Enterprise, Ala., the second victim, age 14, on or about August 1989 – June 1990 in Manchester, Tenn., and the third victim, age 6, from October 2007 – October 2008 in San Angelo, Texas. All three victims, now adults, testified during his trial.
Eleven years after being raped, the youngest victim reported the abuse when calling a suicide hotline. Once reported, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division began an investigation and interviewed Brassfield’s former wife and her family members. It was then where the additional sexual misconduct was uncovered.
Due to the statute of limitations, jurisdictional issues, and certain rules in place at the time of the alleged crimes, the prosecution team was limited in what could be charged but was able to get justice in this case.
“This conviction is the result of strength and courage of the women who survived the accused’s abuse and were willing to come forward and share the worst moments of their lives,” said Maj. Morghan Beaudoin, prosecutor, Third Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “Their faith in the military justice system, as well as the hard work and combined efforts of OSTC and the Fort Novosel military justice shop ensured the accused was properly punished for his crimes.”
“This result underscores our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims, even decades after the crimes occurred,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Coleman, Army CID’s Southern Field Office. “We know we cannot undo the harm these victims suffered, but Army CID remains committed to uncovering the truth and providing answers through thorough investigations.”
Brassfield will serve his prison sentence at the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
The case was investigated by Army CID Southern Field Office’s Fort Novosel Resident Unit and prosecuted by Beaudoin and Capt. Gabrielle Bloodsaw, Third Circuit, Army OSTC.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit https://www.army.mil/ostc.
If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=325.
| Date Taken: | 06.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.10.2025 08:49 |
| Story ID: | 500180 |
| Location: | FORT NOVOSEL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,007 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Retired senior non-commissioned officer recalled to active duty, court-martialed for raping children, by Michelle McCaskill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
