West Point colonel put on trial for alleged misconduct with tennis team

An officer at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point was arraigned Tuesday in military court for alleged misconduct.

Col. William Wright, an armored officer who served as director of the school's geospatial information science program, faces nine allegations of inappropriate sexual remarks, providing and consuming alcohol to a cadet, contact unlawfully with a cadet on the women's tennis team and attempting to influence testimony, shows a court document shared with Military Times.

He was reassigned to a position at the academy where he has no contact with cadets, according to Military.com, which first reported the accusations.

“West Point holds our staff and faculty to high standards,” Col. Terence Kelley, director of communications at West Point, told Military Times in a statement Wednesday. “When there are allegations that our executives failed to meet our standards, we promptly investigate to determine the facts, protect and assist potential victims, and hold suspected violators accountable. »

“Although federal privacy laws and Army policy restrict the release of additional details at this point in the process, we are fully committed to a prompt and fair resolution,” he said. -he adds.

In January, Wright allegedly “on one or more occasions” made inappropriate sexual remarks in the presence of three unnamed cadets, the indictment notes.

In June 2023, he also allegedly violated regulations while in Hawaii by providing alcohol and consuming it with an unnamed cadet, according to the indictment. He allegedly did it again a few days later in Alaska, without the available documents specifying whether it was the same cadet.

Wright also faces allegations that he spoke to staff he should not interact with.

He allegedly contacted a cadet on the academy's women's tennis team in January after being asked not to do so, the court document notes, noting that he is also accused of soliciting a cadet to “unfairly interfering with an adverse administrative proceeding, by ordering him to 'Kill it,'” and discuss with a redacted person.

The indictment adds that Wright also allegedly lied and attempted to influence those testifying about his role in the drinking of at least one cadet.

Wright is not the only West Point official to face accusations of misconduct over the past year. Last summer, the Army fired the commander of its West Point garrison after he was suspended amid an investigation into “alleged conduct.” The academy also fired a civilian employee last year following an accusation of criminal sexual conduct “unrelated to his role at West Point.”

The lead attorney in the case representing Wright declined to comment. Military Times reached out to Wright directly, although he did not respond to a request for comment by publication.