FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Roughly five months before his arrest, former Army Sgt. 1st Class Namon L. Bledsoe appeared in uniform at a youth outreach event at a Rock Island, Illinois, high school, participating in a program designed to introduce students to military service.
Newly released court-martial records now provide the most complete picture to date of the criminal case against Bledsoe, a senior noncommissioned officer convicted in August 2025 at a general court-martial for producing child sexual abuse material.
The records, obtained by The Salty Soldier through a Freedom of Information Act request, include Bledsoe’s charge sheet, statement of trial results and final entry of judgment. Together, they outline the full scope of allegations initially pursued by Army prosecutors and clarify how the military case was resolved, while related felony charges remain pending in Rock Island County, Illinois.
Photographs on Bledsoe’s social media accounts show him participating in the “First 100 Yards” event at Alleman Catholic High School in May 2024, wearing his uniform and appearing in an official Army capacity. The event was hosted by First Army soldiers from Rock Island Arsenal in partnership with the school.
Guilty plea and sentence at general court-martial
On Aug. 27, 2025, Bledsoe pleaded guilty before a military judge at Fort Leavenworth to one specification of producing illegal child exploitation material in violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The offense involved knowingly creating explicit visual recordings involving a minor, conduct deemed prejudicial to good order and discipline and discrediting to the armed forces.
The military judge sentenced Bledsoe to 18 months of confinement and a dishonorable discharge. The sentence was imposed under the terms of a negotiated plea agreement.
A final judgment was entered on Sept. 16, 2025, formally concluding trial-level proceedings. The case was then forwarded for mandatory appellate review, a routine process required in cases involving a dishonorable discharge and confinement exceeding one year.
Court records do not indicate that Bledsoe has filed a substantive appeal challenging either his guilty plea or conviction.
Additional charges dismissed under plea agreement
While the court-martial resulted in a single conviction, military records show that Bledsoe initially faced a broader slate of charges, including multiple specifications under Article 120b, which governs criminal offenses involving minors.
According to the charge sheet, those specifications included allegations that Bledsoe:
- Engaged in criminal sexual conduct involving a minor under the age of 16
- Committed indecent acts involving exposure
- Sent explicit electronic communications to a minor
- Created and distributed explicit recordings involving a minor
Due to platform content restrictions, some details contained in the underlying court records have been summarized or paraphrased in this version. A full, uncensored account based on the complete record is available to subscribers on The Salty Soldier Uncensored.
Those Article 120b charges were dismissed without prejudice, contingent on appellate completion, as part of the plea agreement.
In military justice, such dismissals are conditional and procedural. They do not represent findings that the alleged conduct did not occur. If the conviction were overturned on appeal, the dismissed charges could legally be reinstated.
Allegations involving multiple minors
Military charging documents further allege that between late July and early September 2024, Bledsoe engaged in indecent conduct involving two related minors. One specification alleged that Bledsoe transmitted an explicit video to a minor that depicted prohibited conduct involving another minor identified as the victim’s sibling.
That allegation was charged under Article 120b, UCMJ, as indecent conduct involving a child and was among the specifications dismissed under the conditional terms of the plea agreement.
Other dismissed allegations involved explicit electronic communications, unlawful exposure through digital means, and repeated prohibited conduct involving a minor. Those allegations formed part of the factual backdrop of the military prosecution but were not adjudicated at trial.
The charge to which Bledsoe pleaded guilty involved knowingly recording explicit conduct involving a minor, a violation of Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
While only one specification resulted in a conviction, the records portray alleged conduct involving multiple minors, recorded illegal material, and electronic dissemination, underscoring the seriousness of the case and providing context for the pending civilian prosecution.
Assignment and location clarified
The newly released records also clarify details that were previously unconfirmed.
At the time of the offenses, Bledsoe was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, First U.S. Army, based at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. The alleged conduct occurred in or near Moline, Illinois, placing it within the jurisdiction of the pending Rock Island County case.
Bledsoe held the rank of Sergeant First Class (E-7) at the time of the offenses.
Civilian felony case remains pending in Illinois
Separate from the court-martial, Bledsoe remains charged in Rock Island County Circuit Court with six felony counts, including:
- Four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse (Class 2 felonies)
- Two counts involving child exploitation material (Class X felonies)
Illinois court records allege repeated unlawful conduct involving a minor during August and September 2024, along with the creation of illegal recordings. A judge found probable cause for the charges in September 2024.
Bledsoe was initially held without bond before later being released under strict pretrial conditions, including GPS monitoring, internet restrictions, and a prohibition on contact with minors.
Throughout 2025, prosecutors continued filing discovery disclosures, including forensic analyses, laboratory reports, and expert materials. The court also ordered a psychosexual evaluation by agreement of both parties, a step commonly associated with plea negotiations or sentencing preparation in cases involving offenses against minors.
Despite the completed military prosecution, the Illinois case remains open. No trial date has been set, and the State’s Attorney’s Office has not yet responded to The Salty Soldier’s request for comment on whether it intends to proceed.
Sentencing exposure under state law
The military conviction resolved only one count, but it does not preclude state authorities from pursuing their own prosecution under Illinois law, where sentencing exposure is substantially higher.
Under Illinois statute, Class X felony offenses involving child exploitation carry mandatory prison sentences of six to 30 years per count, with no eligibility for probation. Sentences may be ordered consecutively depending on the number of acts and recordings involved.
By comparison, sentencing authority at a court-martial is limited by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the terms of any plea agreement. In Bledsoe’s case, the military sentence included confinement and a punitive discharge but was limited in duration.
If convicted in state court, Bledsoe could face decades in prison, along with long-term registration and post-release supervision requirements.
For that reason, military convictions in cases involving exploitation of minors often resolve only part of an accused’s legal exposure, leaving state prosecutors to determine whether further punishment is warranted under civilian law.
Bledsoe is currently serving his military confinement sentence while the Illinois case remains in pretrial status.
The Salty Soldier will continue tracking developments in both jurisdictions.
© 2026 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
