A Coast Guard senior chief is scheduled for court-martial Tuesday to face multiple sexual assault charges, to according to an Atlantic Area press release on Monday.
Senior Chief Operations Specialist James Hamilton is accused of failing to obey an order, attempted abusive sexual contact, aggravated sexual contact and assault aboard the Portsmouth, Virginia-based cutter Northland, the release said.
The alleged incidents involved charges involve multiple allegations incidents against two junior enlisted female shipmates over more than a year, Atlantic Area spokesman Lt. Scott McBride told Navy Times.
Hamilton, 33, was first reported in February 2012, for which he received informal counseling. Following another complaint, the Coast Guard opened an investigation in December 2013 that uncovered six incidents against the two women between November 2011 and February 2013.
"The charges follow an investigation, which revealed that Hamilton was engaged in a broad spectrum of sexually related misconduct from inappropriate touching to aggravated sexual contact while assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Northland, homeported in Portsmouth," the release said.
Atlantic Area commander Vice. Adm. William Lee referred Hamilton to court-martial in July following an Article 32 hearing.
Hamilton could not be immediately reached for comment Monday.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
