PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Coast Guard member charged with violating an article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice was sentenced Thursday during a general court martial in Norfolk, Virginia.
Petty Officer 3rd Class William Fisher was found guilty of one specification of violation of Article 120, UCMJ – Sexual Assault and was sentenced to six months confinement, reduction of rank to E-1 and a dishonorable discharge.
Rear Adm. Stephen P. Metruck, former Coast Guard Fifth District commander, decided to convene a general court-martial based on the recommendation of an Article 32 hearing completed Oct. 14, 2015. An Article 32 hearing is similar to a grand jury hearing in the civilian court system.
Fisher was assigned to a Coast Guard unit in Cape May, New Jersey, at the time of the alleged misconduct and is currently serving his sentence at the Naval Consolidated Brig in Chesapeake, Virginia.
The Coast Guard is committed to building and maintaining a culture of respect, trust, and safety worthy of the women and men who sacrifice so much to ensure the safety and security of the American people.