{"id":20504,"date":"2021-04-19T18:31:19","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T18:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/04\/19\/for-soldier-convicted-of-multiple-rapes-army-will-review-2017-decision-not-to-prosecute-him\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:11:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:11:28","slug":"for-soldier-convicted-of-multiple-rapes-army-will-review-2017-decision-not-to-prosecute-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/04\/19\/for-soldier-convicted-of-multiple-rapes-army-will-review-2017-decision-not-to-prosecute-him\/","title":{"rendered":"For soldier convicted of multiple rapes, Army will review 2017 decision not to prosecute him"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Army officials say they will review the decision not to prosecute a soldier accused of rape in the winter of 2017, who three years later pleaded guilty to that same crime, as well as a separate rape in the months that followed and the sexual abuse of his child in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff Sgt. Randall S. Hughes\u2019 crimes, first reported by Army Times<\/a> last week, ended only after his daughter came forward in the spring of 2020 with allegations that Hughes raped her while she was drugged with a sleeping medication, court documents stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hughes ultimately accepted a plea agreement, admitting to two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault consummated by battery, one count of sexual abuse of a child and one count of assault consummated by a battery on a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hughes was sentenced in late March to 13 years in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. But victims in the case told Army Times that had commanders chosen to prosecute Hughes in 2017, he might not have been able to commit later sexual assaults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Army will review the decision not to seek prosecution in 2017, based on the facts and circumstances as known at the time,\u201d said Army spokesman Matthew Leonard. \u201cIt is important that we have such an assessment, in order to ensure we are serving the best interests of justice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An individual involved in Hughes\u2019 military justice process cautioned that what helped secure a plea agreement in March was the strength of the case compiled by CID agents, which resulted in criminal charges spanning more than a decade and involving five victims. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at each case in isolation could make prosecution difficult, because there might be problems with physical evidence in some cases or conflicting witness testimony in others, added the individual, who was not authorized to speak publicly.<\/p>\n\n\n\t