NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The Air Force general court-martialed for trying to force himself on his brother’s wife in New Mexico will retire with a demoted rank. According to the Air Force, Major General William Cooley has been demoted to Colonel. During a court martial last year, Cooley was found guilty of trying to kiss his sister-in-law after a family barbeque in New Mexico in August 2018.
The Air Force says, “Cooley was relieved of command of the Air Force Research Laboratory on January 15, 2020, due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead, related to alleged misconduct which was then under investigation.”
During an April 2022 proceeding, Cooley was found guilty of abusive sexual conduct. He was sentenced to a reprimand and forfeiture of $10,910 every pay month for five months, totaling just under $55,000. Cooley was the highest-ever ranking officer to be convicted of a sex crime.
