A former Guantánamo prison camp guard is being permitted to quit the Army rather than face a sex-assault trial, the military said Friday.
Army Sgt. Stevontae Lacefield, 24, told The Miami Herald from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio that on Monday the military notified him that all charges related to his case were dropped.
He had a trial set for April 7-10 before an Army major. But by Friday his case was removed from the Fort Sam Houston trial judiciary docket.
"What this means is, instead of going to trial and court martial he's allowed to undergo separation from the military," said Army Col. Hans Bush, spokesman for U.S. Army South in San Antonio.
In another case, 1st Sgt. Richard A. Smith goes on trial next week. He is accused of raping a sergeant in January 2013 as well as sexually assaulting two other women at the base several months later.
Carol Rosenberg
Miami Herald