AF Sexual Assault Official Charged with Sex Crime

The head of the Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch was arrested and charged over the weekend with sexual battery after he allegedly fondled a woman in a parking lot near the Crystal City Gentleman's Club and Restaurant in Arlington, Va.

Air Force Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski was arrested by Arlington County police at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday near the strip club that is a mile away from the Pentagon. He is accused of grabbing a woman's breasts and buttocks before she allegedly fought him off, according to the Arlington police report.

"A drunken male subject approached a female victim in a parking lot and grabbed her breasts and buttocks," according to the police report. "The victim fought the suspect off as he attempted to touch her again and alerted police."

The Air Force immediately removed Krusinski from his position at the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response branch, according to Maj. Eric Badger, an Air Force spokesman. Service officials confirmed Krusinski's job title and rank, but officials said the service would have no further comment.

Air Force leaders have faced intense scrutiny for the way the service has handled sexual assault allegations throughout its ranks.

Members of Congress have criticized the Air Force after Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, the 3rd Air Force commander, overturned a sexual assault conviction of another Air Force officer. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has since proposed requesting Congress strip commanders of their convening authority under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice after reviewing the case.

In 2012, the service charged basic military training instructors at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas with sexual assaulting more than 50 female victims at. Multiple instructors have since been convicted and face jail time.

Krusinski's was charged with sexual battery just days before the Defense Department has planned to release results of the Pentagon's latest report on sex assault response.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody issued a video message to airmen to protect fellow airmen from sexual assault on the front of the program website that Krusinski recently led.

"Harassment, unprofessional relationships, sexual assault all have terrible impacts on airmen, families and units and every time I hear about another case, it breaks my heart," Welsh said.