Rape charge against former Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland instructor dropped
SAN ANTONIO — A rape charge against a former Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland instructor has been dismissed, according to a statement released to us on Monday.
In 2015, Master Sgt. Michael Silva was convicted of raping two women, including a former trainee, and was sentenced to 20 years in military prison. Last summer, those convictions were overturned by an appeals court and prosecutors were preparing for a retrial. In a statement from JBSA, we're told that a recent "appellate ruling" changed the statute of limitations that applied to two of the three charges, so they could no longer be brought forward to court-martial. The brigadier general then consulted with the victim and decided to dismiss the remaining charge as well.
Read the full statement from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland here:
"The charge and all three specifications in the case of US v. Silva have been dismissed. A recent appellate ruling changed the statute of limitations that applied to two of the three specifications so they are now beyond the statute of limitations and cannot be brought forward to court-martial. Given this, Brig Gen Heather Pringle, the General Court-Martial Convening Authority, dismissed those two as beyond the statute of limitations. After consultation with the named victim, and considering the input of the parties involved, Brig Gen Pringle then dismissed the remaining specification. There are no further charges or specifications remaining."
