WüRZBURG, Germany — A married soldier who was carrying on an affair with another soldier in his unit was sentenced Tuesday to 45 months in prison for having sex with the women’s 13-year-old daughter.
Pfc. Frederick W. Lopez, 23, of Company A of the 17th Signal Battalion, pleaded guilty to charges of carnal knowledge and sodomy with a minor, said Capt. Sean Condron, acting chief of criminal law for the 1st Infantry Division’s Staff Judge Advocate. He also was reduced to the lowest enlisted rank and will be dishonorably discharged.
Court documents reveal an odd relationship between Lopez’s family and that of his girlfriend, a married E-4 who served in his unit. Her name is not being revealed to protect her daughter’s identity.
The two families lived near each other in the Marshall Heights housing complex in Kitzingen and had been friends since each arrived there two years ago, according to a statement of facts signed by Lopez, his attorney and the prosecutor. Lopez and his wife have two small children; the female soldier — whose husband lives in the United States — has four children, ages 8 to 13.
Late last year, Lopez and his wife decided she and the children would leave their apartment and move back to the States while he stayed in Germany to finish his tour. After the Lopez family had shipped their household goods, the woman agreed to let the family move into her apartment so they could save on hotel bills.
Lopez and the woman began a sexual relationship about a week after his family left on Jan. 31, according to the woman’s sworn statement to Army investigators. The girl told police that her relationship with Lopez evolved from a shared interest in Magic cards to sex. He gave her his high-school class ring.
The girl told police the two had sex about 10 times, usually when her mother was on duty and they were caring for the other children. They also used his empty apartment.
The girl said Lopez asked her mother for permission to have sex with her, but the mother said no. The woman told police she did not suspect they were involved although she had seen them flirting — even though one morning she learned he had slept in her daughter’s room the previous night.
On March 1, the girl eventually told a neighbor.
After hearing Lopez’s plea, the military judge, Col. Stephanie Browne, recommended a prison term of 78 months. It was reduced to 45 months because of a plea agreement between Lopez and prosecutors, Condron said.
