FORT BLISS, Texas – A military jury convicted a Soldier for the sexual abuse of a child involving indecent communication during his court-martial March 23 – 25 at the Col. Hubert Miller Courtroom, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Spc. Alejando Otero, 26, a cavalry scout assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, was sentenced by the military judge to four and a half years in prison, reduction in rank to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Otero was driving his car in an area near a middle school in El Paso, Texas, when he saw a 12-year-old female walking home alone from school. He approached her and asked if she’d like to get into his car and engage in sexual acts. Frightened, she ran home and told her mother what happened. The next day the victim reported the incident to the School Resource Officer who contacted the El Paso Police Department and an investigation was initiated.
During an interview with law enforcement, the victim was able to remember a partial licence plate, the state of the plate, the make model of the car, and a brief description of the accused.
Based off this information, the El Paso Police Department conducted a photo lineup where she identified Otero with 100% certainty.
The information collected by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division from the El Paso Police Department supported a warrant to search Otero’s car and seize his vehicle’s infotainment system.
With the help of a forensic technician expert and an expert in digital forensics with the Department of War Cyber Crime Center, GPS data was extracted from the infotainment system.
The GPS data placed Otero in the area at the time of the incident and revealed that he was circling the area for at least two hours in the vicinity of multiple middle schools.
“Beyond the written statute, the true measure of justice revealed today lies in the valiant stand of one courageous girl. Her fortitude did not merely secure a conviction, it wove a new fabric of safety for El Paso ensuring that her classmates may walk home in peace. For that we thank you,” said Capt. Christopher Deisenroth, prosecutor, Fifth Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
“The results of this court-martial are the culmination of months of work between the Office of Special Trial Counsel and our civilian partners in the greater El Paso community including the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso District Attorney's Office, and the Advocacy Center for the Children of El Paso. These results are a testament to what the OSTC can accomplish in collaboration with our civilian partners and a reflection of the U.S. Army's commitment to holding offenders accountable and protecting the children of our Fort Bliss and El Paso community,” said Maj. Joseph Morman, prosecutor, Fifth Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
During the sentencing argument Capt. Cory Redditt, prosecutor, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 1st Armored Division, made the following request to the military judge, “Your sentence should reflect the gravity of this misconduct. It should protect the community. It should send a clear message that the United States military will not tolerate service members who target children.”
“The successful sentencing demonstrates our ability to maximize our jurisdiction through persistence and close partnerships with the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso schools, and the US Army Office of Special Trial Counsel,” said Special Agent in Charge Olga Morales, Army CID’s Southwest Field Office.
“We commend the extraordinary courage it takes for victims to come forward. Such acts of bravery are vital to protecting our communities and reaffirms our unwavering commitment to our communities and protecting the vulnerable.”
Otero will serve his prison sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
This case was investigated by the El Paso Police Department Army and Army CID’s Southwest Field Office. It was prosecuted by Morman, Deisenroth and Redditt.
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](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 [www.p3tips.com/armycid](http://www.p3tips.com/armycid).
| Date Taken: |
04.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.02.2026 10:24 |
| Story ID: |
561818 |
| Location: |
FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: |
27 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Fort Bliss Soldier who solicited sex from a minor sentenced to prison, by Michelle McCaskill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
