Colonel Daniel Wilson has been charged with three counts of sexually abusing a child, four counts of assaulting a child under the age of 16, one count of failure to obey an order or regulation, and nine counts of conduct unbecoming an officer. He could face a court-martial for these accusations.
The Marines have not been forthcoming with details of the case, only reporting the charges levied against Wilson. Wilson’s two attorneys, Lieutenant Colonel Ben Ackison and Captain Mark McCormick, have declined to comment on the case.
A date has not been set for Wilson’s Article 32 trial, during which a hearing officer will recommend if the Marine Corps should proceed to a court-martial, administrative punishment, or dropping the charges. Wilson was serving as a member of the II Marine Expeditionary Force but has been reassigned to administrative work since the accusations were levied. He is not being held in pretrial custody, which suggests that the USMC does not believe Colonel Wilson will attempt to either flee or commit further offenses.
Colonel Wilson has been a member of the United States Marine Corps since 1981, and has been deployed 11 times. He is a recipient of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Meritorious Service Award. He was promoted to Colonel in 2010.
In July 2005, Wilson published an article in the Marine Corps Gazette about the Second Battle of Fallujah. In the article, he was effusive in his praise of the bravery and effectiveness of US forces in retaking the city. “The real key to this tactical victory rested in the spirit of the warriors who courageously fought the battle,” Wilson wrote. "They deserve all of the credit for liberating Fallujah."
In recent years, the US military has faced increased scrutiny for cases of sexual harassment and assault. While historically the military has defended and hidden criminal charges levied against senior officers, there has been an attempt to reform this in recent years. Stars and Stripes reports that in 2015 116 officers were disciplined for sexual assault, more than twice that of 2012. Just eight of those 116 were of the colonel rank or higher.
