There is only one reporter from the Dayton area at this trial: John Nolan of the Dayton Daily News.
We are the only local media outlet with the resources to send a reporter to cover an important out-of-state story like this.
Get your news directly from the source: the Dayton Daily News and DaytonDailyNews.com.
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE – An airman testified Friday, May 28, that she had consensual sex on multiple occasions with the Air Force Materiel Command’s former top enlisted man and three-way sex with him and his wife.
Master Sgt. Denise O’Connor said she exchanged sexually explicit text-messages with Chief Master Sgt. William C. Gurney and, at his request, sent him nude photographs of herself.
Asked why she sent the photos, O’Connor said: “Because he made me feel sexy, he made me feel attractive.”
O’Connor testified as the final government witness at a hearing to determine whether Gurney will face a court-martial on numerous Air Force charges including sexual harassment, adultery, failure to maintain professional relationships, making sexual comments to airmen or improperly touching them, and misusing his official position and a Defense Department computer to further personal relationships.
The government has asked the investigating officer to consider other charges against Gurney, including rape and obstruction of justice. According to testimony, Gurney told airmen not to tell others about improper relationships with him.
Gurney declined to make a statement in court at the close of the hearing Friday. He also declined to speak with a reporter afterward.
O’Connor and Gurney are married to other people. Under military law, adultery is considered an offense detrimental to military order and discipline or that can bring discredit to the armed forces.
O’Connor said she participated in three-way sex twice with Gurney and his wife at William Gurney’s invitation.
“The three of us had sexual intercourse,” O’Connor said, responding to questions from government lawyer Capt. Tania Bryant.
“With each other?” Bryant asked. “Yes,” O’Connor said.
On one occasion, the Gurneys and O’Connor had drinks at a bar before Gurney’s wife provided a key to the couple’s hotel room, O’Connor testified.
“Did you know what that meant?” Bryant asked. “Yes,” O’Connor replied.
O’Connor said she surrendered to Gurney’s advances when they met on Air Force business in Montgomery, Ala., and had sex. They eventually also had sex at planned meetings in Colorado, New Mexico and Georgia, she said.
Under defense cross-examination, O’Connor said she voluntarily traveled to meet Gurney with the expectation of having sex.
“At no point did you feel Chief Gurney was abusing his rank?” defense lawyer Maj. Gwendolyn Beitz asked. “No,” O’Connor said.
Gurney was removed in November 2009 from his job as adviser for the Air Force Materiel Command’s enlisted personnel to the AFMC’s commander, Gen. Donald Hoffman. Gurney remains on active duty in a desk job at AFMC headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Days before Gurney’s removal, a senior airman who accused him of unwanted sexual touching of her and unwanted text messages went to Air Force investigators, who helped her resume text-messaging with Gurney to see how he would respond. He sent her at least one nude photo of himself, among other pictures, as the Air Force investigators monitored the situation, according to testimony.
On Friday, two defense witnesses who had been supervisors of that airman testified that she had an intermittent history of not being truthful or reliable as to her whereabouts and military job duties.
The hearing ended Friday at Wright-Patterson after almost three days of testimony that included 13 government witnesses and five defense witnesses.
The investigating officer who presided at the hearing, Col. Michael J. O’Sullivan, is to prepare a report and recommendations for the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., which will decide whether to refer Gurney for a court-martial. There is no deadline for that decision. The 375th does not have to follow the recommendations.
If Gurney is ultimately court-martialed and convicted, he could face punishment up to and including prison, dishonorable discharge, or loss of rank and pay. Depending on what is decided, Gurney could also face lesser or no punishment.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
About the Author