FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Army Spc. Skylar B. Griffin, 28, pled guilty to one specification of rape of a child, three specifications of sexual abuse of a child, and one specification of receiving child pornography during his court-martial May 22 at the Fort Bragg Courthouse.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, a military judge sentenced Griffin to 15 years confinement and a dishonorable discharge for his crimes.

Griffin, a parachute rigger assigned to 189th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, raped and sexually abused an 11-year-old child, the younger sister of a family friend, in Sanford, N.C., between June and October 2023.

To commit his crimes, Griffin endeared himself to the family and used his position of trust to take advantage of the victim.

The victim detailed Griffin’s misconduct during a forensic interview, and investigators with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division collected significant electronic evidence corroborating the victim’s allegations.

“We would like to thank the Harnett County Sherriff’s Office, Army CID’s Carolinas Field Office, and the paralegals from the 82nd Airborne Division Support Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. Their tireless work and dedication to justice resulted in an outcome that ensures the accused is held accountable for his crimes and provides closure for the victim and her family,” said Capt. Joseph Colston, lead prosecutor, Second Circuit, Army OSTC.

“This conviction demonstrates our unwavering commitment – alongside our law enforcement partners – to relentlessly pursuing those who would harm children,” said Army CID Carolinas Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Al Diaz. “Griffin betrayed the trust placed in him, and his sentence reflects the gravity of his horrific crimes.”

Griffin is currently incarcerated in North Carolina until his eventual transfer to the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.

The investigation was conducted by Harnett County Sherriff’s Office and the Army CID Carolinas Field Office. It was prosecuted by Colston, Lt. Col. Robyn Chatwood, Second Circuit, Army OSTC, Capt. Matthew Ferguson, Second Circuit, Army OSTC, and Capt. Parker Holstein, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 82nd Airborne Division.

The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit https://www.army.mil/ostc.

If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=325.