FORT IRWIN, Calif. — A former Minnesota National Guard Staff Sergeant has been convicted in federal court of abusive sexual contact following a 2020 incident that occurred during a training rotation at the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, according to court records.
Kelly Boylan, 56, was found guilty after a four-day jury trial in April 2026 of sexually abusing a 23-year-old subordinate while both were deployed to Fort Irwin for a month-long training rotation from July 6 to August 6, 2020.
The conviction stems from conduct prosecutors described as a pattern of escalating sexual misconduct within a small-unit field environment, where Boylan, an E-6 supply sergeant, served as the direct supervisor of the victim, a junior enlisted Specialist (E-4) assigned to the same supply team.
According to the government’s trial memorandum, the 23-year-old victim initially perceived Boylan, then 50, as a non-threatening figure, describing him as giving off “dad vibes.” However, that perception changed as his behavior became increasingly invasive.
The misconduct began during the rotation with repeated unwanted physical contact. Initial touching of the victim’s arms and shoulders escalated to more intrusive contact. Prosecutors further stated that Boylan arranged sleeping logistics so that he remained in close proximity to the victim, including positioning himself in the same enclosed cargo bay sleeping area used by the victim and other soldiers.
Other soldiers observed the conduct. One noncommissioned officer reported seeing Boylan touching the victim while she slept.
The conduct escalated further in the days leading up to the charged offense. During one incident, Boylan attempted to kiss the victim. She pulled away and immediately contacted her mother to report what had happened.
On another occasion, prosecutors stated that Boylan forced physical contact on the victim and engaged in non-consensual sexual touching. According to court filings, the victim did not escalate the situation but later became emotional and moved her sleeping area closer to another female soldier following the incident.
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The following day, she spoke with that soldier about what had occurred and expressed concern that her prior friendliness had been misinterpreted. She also confronted Boylan directly, telling him he had crossed boundaries, informing him she was engaged, and stating she was not interested. Boylan apologized and told her it would not happen again.
There was no separation of the two, and both remained in the same training environment under the same supervisory structure.
The assault underlying the conviction occurred on the night of July 31, 2020, near the end of the NTC rotation.
According to court records, the victim had positioned her cot outside a military vehicle alongside other female soldiers. At approximately 11:18 p.m., she sent a text message to her fiancé. Immediately afterward, Boylan called her over and asked her to enter a military vehicle to look at a makeshift “fort” he had set up inside the cargo area.
Once inside the confined space, prosecutors state that Boylan physically restrained the victim and initiated further non-consensual sexual contact despite her attempts to resist.
Following the incident, the victim exhibited immediate signs of emotional distress. Witnesses described her as shaking, crying, and unable to clearly articulate what had occurred. She reported the assault within hours.
A Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) was conducted shortly afterward. During the examination, medical personnel treated the victim and documented reported pain consistent with her account.
Forensic analysis later identified Boylan’s DNA on multiple areas of the victim’s body.
Prosecutors also introduced statements made by Boylan following the incident. According to court records, he told a First Sergeant that “something happened” and later told a lieutenant that he had sexual contact with the victim, stating that he believed she “may have taken it the wrong way.”
Boylan was originally charged with sexual abuse without consent in addition to abusive sexual contact. The more serious charge was dismissed prior to trial because the specific statute used to charge that offense was enacted in 2022—after the alleged conduct occurred in 2020—and could not be applied retroactively. Prosecutors proceeded to trial on the remaining abusive sexual contact charge, not due to a lack of evidence, but due to that legal limitation.
The jury ultimately convicted Boylan on one count of abusive sexual contact after a four-day trial.
The case underscores the role of rank disparity and supervisory authority during field training operations. At the time of the offense, Boylan remained the victim’s direct supervisor within a confined training environment where soldiers operated in close quarters and had limited ability to separate from their chain of command.
Boylan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2026, and faces a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.
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