Police confirm investigation into recently retired Lt. Colonel accused of attempting to meet minor
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — North Little Rock Police have confirmed an active investigation is underway following a Feb. 23 incident involving a recently retired Arkansas Army National Guard lieutenant colonel who was confronted during a livestreamed civilian sting operation. A spokesperson for the North Little Rock Police Department told The Salty Soldier that officers…
Fort Bragg soldier arrested in North Carolina months after Christmas Eve homicide in Tennessee
A Soldier assigned to Fort Bragg is facing a second-degree murder charge after authorities say he fatally shot his uncle on Christmas Eve in eastern Tennessee. Jail records from the Cumberland County Detention Center in North Carolina show Jacob Ryan Stinnett, 24, was booked February 23, 2026, on a Tennessee fugitive hold connected to the…
U.S. Servicemember detained after drunken rampage at bar in South Korea
A U.S. servicemember in his 20s was detained by South Korean police after allegedly causing extensive damage inside a bar near a U.S. military installation in Pyeongtaek during the early morning hours of February 25. According to South Korean broadcaster YTN, the incident occurred shortly before dawn at a bar located near a U.S. base…
Senator accused of breaking Marine veteran’s hand during anti-war protest at Senate hearing
A Marine Corps veteran running for U.S. Senate in North Carolina says his hand was broken during a confrontation inside a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing room after he protested U.S. military action against Iran. Brian McGinnis, 44, a firefighter in Raleigh and a Green Party Senate candidate, was forcibly removed from a Senate Armed…
Two more soldiers identified in Iranian drone strike that killed six, one awaiting medical examiner confirmation
Two additional Army Reserve soldiers have now been identified following the Iranian drone strike that killed six U.S. service members in Kuwait on March 1, though one of the fallen still requires final confirmation by a medical examiner. The Department of War announced that Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California,…
Driver who killed Army Ranger receives light sentence after prosecutors reduce felony charge
A driver charged in the death of a decorated Army Ranger and ROTC instructor received a 30-day jail sentence after prosecutors reduced a felony vehicular homicide charge to a misdemeanor. Court records obtained by The Salty Soldier show that Jadon Demani Mike was originally indicted in Effingham County Superior Court on charges of Homicide by…
Department of War identifies four soldiers killed in Iranian drone strike
The Department of War has identified four Army Reserve soldiers killed in a drone strike in Kuwait during the opening days of the expanding war with Iran, marking the first publicly identified American casualties tied to the conflict. According to an official release, Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class…
New details released in case of Fort Bliss Soldier convicted of Meth use and distributing CSAM
Newly released court documents are shedding further light on the case of a Fort Bliss soldier who pleaded guilty in December to child sexual abuse material offenses and drug-related misconduct at a general court-martial. The charge sheet in the case of SPC JuliusJeremiah A. Finistertirado provides a clearer picture of when the misconduct occurred and…
Active-duty service member arrested in Virginia Beach following online sting operation
An active-duty service member identified as Peyton Chance Leckelt, 21, is currently being held in the Virginia Beach Jail following his arrest during a civilian-led child exploitation sting operation. According to a press release issued by Predator Poachers, their investigation began after the February 15, 2026 apprehension of Sean Sayer of Naugatuck, Connecticut, who was…
U.S. Military death toll rises to six as Pentagon warns more casualties are likely
As major combat operations continue under Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military death toll has climbed to six in the first three days of war with Iran. According to United States Central Command, the remains of two previously unaccounted-for American service members were recovered from a facility struck during Iran’s initial missile attacks in the region. Their…
