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 Thursday, May 27, that she had consensual sex on three occasions with the then-top enlisted man at Air Force Materiel Command, but that she felt “implied pressure” in the relationship.
Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Lyon testified that she met the now-suspended AFMC command chief, Chief Master Sgt. William C. Gurney, through his wife at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, an AFMC base where Gurney had influence and visited. Lyons was among government witnesses testifying against Gurney at a hearing to determine if he will be referred for a court-martial.
Gurney is accused of misconduct involving 10 Air Force women. Government prosecutors have asked the investigating officer to consider possible additional charges, including rape, wrongful sexual contact and obstruction of justice against Gurney.
Lyon testified that in February 2009, she arrived at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for temporary duty. Gurney’s wife invited her for dinner at the Gurney house and William Gurney immediately began flirting with her, Lyon said. Days later, Lyon testified, she had sex with Gurney in his kitchen. They then arranged for him to come to her Wright-Patterson airman’s lodging where they had sex again, she testified.
“While I cannot deny that the sex was consensual, there was implied pressure in that he is the chief,” Lyon said under questioning from one of Gurney’s lawyers. “There is implied pressure when you’re dealing with your leadership.”
Under the defense questioning, Lyon said she voluntarily met Gurney on occasions when she had expectations of having sex. Lyon also said she testified under an Air Force grant of immunity from prosecution .
The investigating officer, Col. Michael J. O’Sullivan, is to write a report and recommendations for a commander at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on how to proceed against Gurney. A senior airman testified Thursday that Gurney inappropriately touched her and hugged her on several occasions, asked her about her favorite sex position and told her about his favorite.
The airman said that after Gurney sent her at least 10 to 15 text messages requesting photos of her, she sent him photos of her breasts, legs and face.
“He responded that I was his 'fantasy girl.’ I heard that a lot from him,” the airman testified. “I felt that, as an airman, I had to follow his orders.”
The airman said she received sexually suggestive texts for weeks from Gurney and was increasingly offended by them. She said that because her parents were friends of Gurney and she had hoped he could help her with a “humanitarian” transfer from Brooks City-Base, Texas, to Wright-Patterson to be close to her parents after her brother had died, she kept to herself about Gurney’s mistreatment of her in hopes she could stop it herself.
Under defense cross-examination, the airman said Gurney texted her during times of personal problems to ask how she was doing, and that he had asked if she liked to text-message before starting to do so.
The airman went to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations in November 2009 to complain about Gurney. The OSI investigators arranged to be with her while she sent text messages to Gurney. He responded by sending back a nude photo of himself and another in which he was lying on a bed with his pants pulled partially down.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
About the Author