A senior army NCO, a Detroit native and former acting first sergeant of the 274th Movement Control Team (MCT), Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division — based at Fort Stewart, Georgia — was arrested in Rock Island County, Illinois, on multiple felony charges related to child sexual abuse and child pornography.
Court records indicate Namon Lee Gene Bledsoe faces four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (Class 2 felony) and one count of child pornography (Class X felony). Authorities allege that between August and September 2024, Bledsoe sexually abused a 13-year-old and recorded an instance of child sexual abuse. He last reported to be free on pretrial release under GPS monitoring.
At this time, no official public updates confirm the outcome of his preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for October 15, 2024.
Why He Was in Rock Island
It is not clear from Army statements where Bledsoe was officially stationed at the time of his arrest, but Rock Island Arsenal — located on an island in the Mississippi River between Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa — is an active U.S. Army installation and the headquarters for several commands, including First Army.
Photographs on Bledsoe’s social media accounts show him participating in a youth event at Alleman Catholic High School in Rock Island in May 2024, wearing his uniform and appearing to be in an official Army capacity. The event, known as the “First 100 Yards,” was hosted by First Army soldiers from Rock Island Arsenal in partnership with the school. Given the timing of the photos and the location of his arrest, it is reasonable to conclude that Bledsoe was likely assigned to First Army at Rock Island Arsenal at the time of the alleged offenses.
Military Background & Past Recognition
Bledsoe previously served as acting first sergeant -while he was only a staff sergeant- for the 274th MCT in 2021, where he worked under then-Commander Captain Krystal T. Parrish.
Parrish left the unit in late 2022 and, in June 2025, was convicted by general court-martial of assault and domestic violence charges. She was sentenced to dismissal from the Army, the officer equivalent of a dishonorable discharge.
In March 2019, the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command featured Bledsoe in its Surface Warrior Spotlight while he was assigned to the 595th Transportation Brigade at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. At the time, leadership praised his work tracking vessel movements in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. In that interview, he described himself as “loyal, faithful and respectful,” and voiced aspirations to become a drill sergeant and mentor at-risk youth.
Notable Twist: 274th MCT Leadership Fallout
Both Bledsoe and Parrish held leadership roles in the same Fort Stewart-based 274th MCT. While their cases are unrelated, both former leaders of the unit have since faced serious criminal charges, casting a troubling shadow over the unit’s leadership history in recent years.
© 2025 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
