Joint Base Langley-Eustis is in Hampton, Virginia, on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula. The Langley side of the base hosts Headquarters Air Combat Command, the 633d Air Base Wing, the 1st Fighter Wing (F-22 Raptors and T-38s), the 363rd and 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wings, and the 192nd Wing. It’s one of the oldest continuously active air bases in the United States.
UCMJ authority for the most serious allegations, known as “covered offenses,” belongs to the Office of Special Trial Counsel, District 1, which is headquartered on the base. A court-martial at Langley is a home game for OSTC. District 1 draws some of the most skilled prosecutors in the entire OSTC operation.
Gagne, Scherer & Associates focuses on defending covered offenses, including sexual assault under Article 120, sexual abuse of a child under Article 120b, child pornography and related offenses under Article 134, other sexual misconduct under Articles 117a and 120c, domestic violence under Article 128b, kidnapping, and all other cases arising under the UCMJ.
Any case involving a child victim will draw maximum scrutiny, especially if there’s corroboration, which Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) cases have by definition. OSTC defers the majority of the cases referred to it, but it keeps child sex offenses, including child pornography.
Joint Base Langley-Eustis recent docket activity
From 2024 through mid-2026, Joint Base Langley-Eustis ranked in the top ten Air Force bases for court-martial volume.
- Article 82 solicitation, Article 120b attempted sexual abuse of a child, Article 134 child pornography (distribution). Guilty. Dishonorable discharge, 72 months confinement.
- Article 82 solicitation, Article 120b sexual abuse of a child, Article 134 child pornography. Guilty. Dishonorable discharge, 72 months confinement, total forfeitures.
- Article 134 child pornography. Guilty. Dishonorable discharge, 77 days confinement.
- Article 120 abusive sexual contact. Guilty. Bad-conduct discharge, 12 months confinement.
- Article 134 child pornography (Captain). Guilty. Dismissal, reprimand.
- Additional special courts-martial for drugs, domestic violence, and property offenses.
Sources inside OSI and OSTC indicate the volume of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and CSAM investigations is expected to stay high into 2027–2028.
FAQs by Airmen Facing Charges at JB Langley-Eustis
Can a civilian attorney represent me at Joint Base Langley-Eustis without an office in Virginia?
Yes. The UCMJ, the rules of evidence, and the rules of procedure are the same at Langley as at every other installation. No Virginia bar license or local office is required. Gagne, Scherer & Associates has handled Langley cases for years while based in Chicago.
What happens when OSTC District 1 reviews a Langley case?
OSTC decides whether to prefer charges or defer the case to the base legal office and chain of command. Because District 1 is headquartered on the installation, the prosecutors are more likely to be on top of case developments there than at the other bases they cover. At distant bases, the travel and lack of immediate information can lead OSTC to defer borderline cases; at Langley those obstacles don’t exist, and the sense of case ownership can be higher, so they might go forward on more of them.
Does JB Langley have an Area Defense Counsel?
It has more than one. Experience levels vary. The ADCs have a full load of walk-ins and administrative cases, in addition to their court-martial docket. That usually means an Airman in the investigative stage will get one short meeting with the defense paralegal and the standard advice not to talk. If you want an attorney actively working on your case, answering your questions, and interacting with the prosecution while OSI and OSTC are building the case, you’ll have to hire civilian counsel.
How often does Gagne, Scherer & Associates deal with OSTC prosecutors at Joint Base Langley-Eustis?
Daily. D1 covers some of the busiest bases in the Air Force for court-martial activity, like Shaw AFB, Offutt AFB, and Nellis AFB. Gagne, Scherer & Associates handles its share of those cases, so the firm is in regular contact with the District 1 office headquartered at Langley.
Does the high visibility of Joint Base Langley-Eustis in the National Capital Region change how cases should be handled?
Yes. Langley’s in a dense military and media environment that also covers Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and Marine Corps installations at Quantico. Senior ranking Airmen and officers in the NCR face greater risk of unwanted public attention. Gagne, Scherer & Associates keeps cases out of the press and off the internet as a matter of policy.
Gagne, Scherer & Associates: Joint Base Langley-Eustis Lawyers
With JB Langley-Eustis having such a high volume of serious cases, the need for experienced civilian military counsel is as high there as anywhere. Call us at (224) 935-6172 for a free consultation about your UCMJ issue.