A senior chief considered one of the Navy’s top mail handling experts is accused of fondling, raping and choking a child over the span of several years.
Although slated to stand trial by court-martial in Washington proceedings have been postponed until March for Senior Chief Logistics Specialist Alexis Barbosa-Vazquez, 40.
He’s assigned to the Military Postal Service Agency in Arlington, Virginia.
Military prosecutors suspect the alleged abuse began in 2012 late when Barbosa-Vazquez was stationed at Aviation Support Detachment Oceana in Virginia Beach.
Between then and mid-2013, Barbosa-Vazquez allegedly began touching through the clothing of an adolescent girl “with an intent to gratify his own sexual desire,” according to charge sheets released to Navy Times.
Around the same time, he began raping her “on divers occasions," a pattern of misconduct that continued through 2014 and into early 2015 at locations in both Virginia Beach and Waldorf, Maryland, the court documents state.
While assigned to the Military Postal Service Agency in early 2015, he allegedly placed his hands around the child’s neck, “strangling her,” according to the charge sheets.
Navy Times does not identify the alleged victims of sexual assault.
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Barbosa-Vazquez did not return telephone calls placed to either his command or his home. Military attorneys referred Navy Times to officials at Naval District Washington. They declined comment and it remains unclear if the senior chief has retained civilian counsel.
Rear Adm. Charles W. Rock convened a general court-martial for Barbosa-Vazquez on Jan. 5.
Barbosa-Vazquez has been quoted in both military and civilian publications over the years as an authority on military mail delivery services.
He’s listed as the chief mail router at the Military Postal Service Agency, but commanders there did not return telephone calls seeking comment and it remains unclear if they continue to let him supervise postal services.
His tasks include serving as a liaison between the Department of Defense and the U.S. Postal Service to get mail to Military Mobile units worldwide.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Barbosa-Vazquez enlisted in the Navy in late 1996. After recruit training in Great Lakes, Illinois, he served at the Family Assistance Support Team in Yokosuka, Japan, according to his personnel records.
He later served aboard the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy on recruiting duty in Florida, and then at a string of fleet and aviation logistics and support centers in Italy, Japan and Virginia.
It’s unclear when investigators first learned about the sexual assault allegations.
Barbosa-Vazquez’s superiors advanced him to senior chief on Oct. 16, 2017, and his decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals and four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
Prine came to Navy Times after stints at the San Diego Union-Tribune and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Combat Infantryman Badge.