QUANTICO, Va. -- The Department of the Air Force has zero tolerance for child sex offenders within its ranks, a policy made explicitly clear to an NCO convicted at his courts-martial trial in Germany.
Staff Sgt. Domingo J. Cabuhat, Jr., assigned to the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a child, wrongfully photographing the child, and viewing and possessing child pornography, during the conclusion of his three-day general courts-martial hearing at Ramstein, June 16, 2021.
His punishment included a dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank to E-1, and mandatory registration as a child sex offender when he is released from prison.
As the sole investigative agency for the case, Office of Special Investigations Detachment 515 at Ramstein, was notified of the allegation by the 86th Airlift Wing Family Advocacy Program Office, and quickly began the investigation.
The initial allegation was child sexual abuse, but after receiving authorization to search electronic devices, Det. 515 special agents identified multiple videos and photographs of child pornography which were confirmed by the *National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Det. 515 special agents were also able to show how Cabuhat attempted to modify and delete the material after he became aware of the investigation. Due to the complexity of some of the steps in this case, the investigation lasted nearly 10 months.
“The commitment to justice between the agents and the 86th Airlift Wing Legal Office was instrumental throughout this case and courts-martial,” said SA Jeremy Kohnekamp, Det. 515 Commander. “Through the agents diligent investigative work, they were able prove the initial allegation of child sexual abuse, but also proved the subject (Cabuhat) created and possessed child pornography.”
Prosecutors with the 86th Airlift Wing originally asked for 45 years’ incarceration for Cabuhat, 10 years for each of four offenses involving lewd acts with a child and five years for possessing child pornography on four separate electronic devices.
They made their position crystal clear after the trial.
“The Air Force is committed to the pursuit of justice and has no tolerance for this type of behavior,” they said.
Following his initial confinement at the U.S. Army corrections facility at Sembach, Germany, Cabuhat will serve most of his sentence at a stateside military prison.
*Editor’s Note: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is a private, nonprofit organization established in 1984 by the United States Congress. In September 2013, NCMEC received $40M in federal funding as part of the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2013. NCMEC handles cases of missing or exploited children from infancy to young adults through age 20.