LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A army trial for a Las Vegas-based U.S. Air Pressure workers officer accused of grooming after which repeatedly raping a toddler started Monday, in keeping with army information.
Lt. Col. Kevin DiFalco faces at the least seven fees, information present.
Officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Division arrested DiFalco in September 2022. Two months later, information confirmed the matter was turned over to the army court docket.
DiFalco’s case was later faraway from the Air Pressure trial docket whereas the allegations had been to be addressed by a army administrative course of. The Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel then referred the case in opposition to DiFalco to trial by basic court-martial, a Nellis Air Pressure Base spokesperson informed the 8 Information Now Investigators.
DiFalco initially confronted seven counts of lewdness with a toddler below 18 and one depend of kid abuse or neglect within the Las Vegas Justice Court docket.
DiFalco’s present allegations in army court docket embody sexual assault, sexual abuse of a kid, indecent publicity, giving false testimony, conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, possessing, receiving, or viewing little one pornography, and indecent conduct.
DiFalco saved his army job.
DiFalco is accused of grooming after which sexually assaulting the kid a number of occasions, a report acknowledged. The report was extraordinarily graphic, and far of its contents can’t be reported to guard the kid’s identification.
The report additionally claimed DiFalco informed the kid “not to say anything,” including the commander and the particular person talked recurrently on Snapchat, a messaging utility the place pictures and messages disappear.
The allegations grew to become identified after a person got here ahead to Las Vegas Metro police, the report acknowledged. The particular person reporting the allegations mentioned that they had tried to inform an out-of-state police company final 12 months, however that “the case was closed.”
The particular person reporting the allegations additionally famous a definite tattoo in DiFalco’s groin space, which investigators corroborated within the report.
DiFalco was the commander of the 57th Operations Help Squadron and an F-16 pilot assigned to Nellis Air Pressure Base. He was relieved from command, however he remained on energetic responsibility in a management function at Nellis AFB, a spokesperson mentioned. DiFalco served within the Thunderbirds program till June 2021.
DiFalco was commissioned within the Air Pressure on January 15, 2005, in keeping with Nellis Air Pressure Base.
The 8 Information Now Investigators reached out to a Public Affairs Workplace on Monday to search out out DiFalco’s present employment standing and are awaiting a response.
Col. Matthew P. Stoffel is listed because the army decide. The estimated trial finish date is Sept. 18.
To achieve investigative reporter Vanessa Murphy, electronic mail [email protected].
