Alvaro Pablo Velarde, 20, of Lima, Peru, was convicted today on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact for violently raping a fellow cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The verdict, handed down after a four-day jury trial in Denver, marks a grim fall from grace for Velarde, once part of the elite military training program meant to forge future officers of honor.
The assault occurred on October 23, 2018, inside the victim’s dorm room at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. According to prosecutors, Velarde ignored repeated pleas to stop as he carried out the attack. The female cadet, also a student at the Academy, suffered severe physical injuries and sought medical help immediately after the assault. A sexual assault examination confirmed trauma consistent with violent rape, and a doctor diagnosed her with a concussion sustained during the attack.
Velarde was taken into federal custody shortly after the incident and remained detained throughout the trial. He was disenrolled from the Air Force Academy following the allegations, cutting short his path to a military career. U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello presided over the trial, which began April 29, 2019, in the District of Colorado. The jury returned its guilty verdict on May 2, 2019.
Charged initially by criminal complaint on October 25, 2018, Velarde was later indicted by a federal grand jury on November 8, 2018. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter McNeilly and Emily Treaster, who laid out a damning case built on medical evidence, testimony from the victim, and forensic findings. The trial exposed a brutal betrayal of trust within one of the nation’s most respected institutions.
“The conduct in this case is reprehensible not only because of the nature of the crime itself, but because of where it occurred,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Our service academies are national treasures. We send our best and brightest young adults there to become soldiers and to serve our country. It is the last place one should be attacked so violently. We are pleased that justice was done. The victim showed tremendous courage throughout this ordeal and I am proud that she will someday be defending our country as an Air Force officer.”
Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2019. The investigation was conducted by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, underscoring the severity with which the military is treating crimes committed within its ranks. Velarde now faces the full weight of federal penalties for sexual violence, as the military and justice system reckon with the stain such crimes leave on their institutions.
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Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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