
An Army officer at Fort Cavazos was convicted for eight specifications related to violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice this summer.
The saga of Major Clayton Gaines, 45, seems to have started in September of 2021 when he was arrested for disorderly conduct after getting into a fight while stationed at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos).
After retaining private counsel, Mr. Sean Simmons, a former Army captain who served in the US Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, was able to have the charge dismissed in May, by accepting a plea.
Mr. Simmons is listed as a managing partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law practice group in Bell County, Texas.
Major Gaines was ordered to pay court costs/fine of $283 and to complete 8 hours of anger management.
But his problems with the law only seemed to escalate after divorcing his wife in late September of 2022.
According to Bell County court records, obtained by The Salty Soldier, Major Gaine’s wife was granted a protection order against him in January of 2023.
Less than a month later, he was arrested and charged with violating the protection order.
In September of 2023, he was arrested again, this time for “assaulting a family member,” but the family member’s name was not listed.
According to Army court records obtained by The Salty Soldier, after the two arrests in Bell County, he was charged by the Army for violating UCMJ.
In December of 2023, Major Gaines pled not guilty during his court-martial arraignment in December of 2023 for charges related to disrespecting and disobeying a superior commander.
No violations of UCMJ related to assaulting a family member or violating the protection order were specified.
He was represented by Mr. Simmons, again, as his lead counsel, and Army Captain Sabrina Rocco.
On 23 April 2024, during Major Gaines’ general court-martial at Fort Cavazos, TX, he was convicted by a military judge, pursuant to his pleas, of two specifications of disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer and six specifications of willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer in violation of Articles 89 and 90, UCMJ.
He was sentenced to be reprimanded, to forfeit half a month’s pay for one month, and to be confined for 60 days.
In May of 2024, Mr. Simmons was able to have the charges for violating the protection order and the charge for assaulting a family member dismissed.

No press releases from the Army about any of the arrests or events were able to be found by The Salty Soldier.
© 2024 The Salty Soldier All rights reserved.
The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of TheSaltySoldier.com