FORT CAVAZOS, Texas (KXXV) — A Fort Cavazos soldier was sentenced to 35 years of confinement for raping a child during his court-martial.
25-year-old Army Spc. Carlos I. Morales-Denegri was a cannon crewmember with the 1st Cavalry Division — he was sentenced on Feb. 14 and also received a dishonorable discharge.
The mother of the victim, who at the time was Morales-Denegri’s girlfriend, discovered the crime.
He was at home alone with the victim at his residence in Nolanville, Texas, on Jan. 5, 2024 — while she was at work, the mother used her cell phone to review a bedroom camera feed and observed the crime.
The mother notified Nolanville police and provided them video, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division was notified and collaborated on the investigation.
Morales-Denegri was arrested by Nolanville police opn Jan. 5 and remained at thr Bell County Justice Center until his trial at Fort Cavazos — he is also pending civilian charges for similar offenses.
"Both the child victim and her mother testified during the trial in spite of numerous logistical and language barriers in this case," wrote Michelle McCaskill with the U.S. Army.
"The child victim and her mother suffered incomprehensible harm and showed great courage over many months to finally testify in this case," said Lt. Col. Ryan Yoder, lead prosecutor, Fort Cavazos Field Office, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
“The mission of the Office of Special Trial Counsel remains to seek justice for uniquely vulnerable victims like the one in this case — in doing so, the Fort Cavazos Field Office will continue to leverage relationships with local law enforcement, prosecutors, and the wider Fort Cavazos community to ensure timely and appropriate disposition of these offenses."
Morales-Denegri will serve his prison sentence at the Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
"The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is committed to creating safe environments and ensure accountability for those who commit serious criminal acts," said Special Agent in Charge Maria E. Thomas, Army CID Central Texas Field Office.
"We’ll continue to work alongside our OSTC partners to foster trust and confidence in the judicial process while maintaining the Army’s operational readiness."
