Minnesota Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Subordinate During Training at Inland Empire Army Base

LOS ANGELES - A former member of the Minnesota National Guard was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a subordinate during a training mission at Fort Irwin United States Army base in San Bernardino County.

Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.

At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury on April 9 found Boylan guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact. He has been in federal custody since that day.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in July 2020, Boylan was a member of the Minnesota National Guard and, during a training mission at Fort Irwin, sexually abused a direct subordinate, who then was a 23-year-old woman. Both Boylan and the victim had been deployed to Fort Irwin for one month of training.

Boylan was a staff sergeant, which is a non-commissioned officer, and outranked the victim, who was a specialist, which is a junior soldier.

In the Army, non-commissioned officers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with junior soldiers because of the military authority they exert over them.

The victim reported the attack to the Army's law enforcement division, which began an investigation that led to Boylan's arrest and prosecution.

"Military leaders are entrusted with extraordinary responsibility, and with that responsibility comes a heightened obligation to safeguard those under their command," prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. "Rather than fulfilling that obligation, [Boylan] violated it in one of the most fundamental ways possible."

The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division provided assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section and Erin C. Kiss of the Orange County Office prosecuted this case.