Navy SEAL found guilty of 2 charges in court-martial trial, sentenced
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Navy SEAL Stephen Varanko III was found guilty of two charges Friday in a court-martial trial.
Varanko, a chief special warfare operator assigned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, was accused of sexually assaulting a female sailor at a hotel in Kentucky during an alleged 2015 incident.
He was found guilty of sexual harassment and battery in Friday’s verdict. The SEAL was found not guilty on charges of kidnapping, false official statement, aggravated assault, sexual assault and rape.
A judge sentenced Varanko to 89 days confinement and will be reduced in rank to an E-6, which means his rank will change from Chief to a Petty Officer 1st Class.
Varanko’s defense team called the victim’s credibility into question during Thursday’s proceedings.
The sailor had testified earlier in the court-martial that Varanko held her captive in his room, attacked and eventually raped her. She claimed he did this in a jealous rage after finding out that she had dated another man.
The two admitted to having been in a relationship for more than two years before to the alleged incident. Varanko admitted that he got jealous, but denied that he hit her and held her captive.
Varanko’s defense team brought two witnesses to the stand Thursday who had previously supervised the victim. They both raised questions about her truthfulness and how she treated coworkers.
One of the witnesses, an officer, called her two-faced and deceitful. Prosecutors countered this claim by questioning the officer’s credibility and showing that she had won Sailor of the Year – despite the reports from her superiors.
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