Paul Kickery Sr., 67, of Brattleboro, Vt., formerly stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., pleaded guilty today to the aggravated sexual abuse of a 6-year-old child, marking a grim chapter in a federal case that exposed predators hiding in plain sight on U.S. military grounds.
Kickery entered his plea before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool in the Western District of Missouri. The charges stem from a year-long pattern of abuse that occurred between July 1, 2013, and July 31, 2014, while both Kickery and the young victim lived in the same residence on the Fort Leonard Wood U.S. Army base.
The crime came to light when the child’s father reported the abuse to the Brattleboro, Vt., Police Department. The victim, then just 6 years old, disclosed the assaults to a family member about a year after they ended, sparking an investigation that crossed state lines and pulled in federal authorities.
Court documents detail how Kickery exploited his proximity to the child, using his position within the household to carry out repeated acts of sexual violence. The abuse was not detected during its active period, underscoring failures in oversight and the vulnerability of children in close-knit, high-security environments.
Under federal law, Kickery faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and could be locked up for life without the possibility of parole. While Congress sets the maximum penalties, the final sentence will be determined by the court after a presentence investigation conducted by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller and investigated by a joint effort between the FBI and the Brattleboro Police Department—a collaboration that ultimately brought justice one step closer for a silenced child. A sentencing hearing is pending.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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