A former Fort Jackson Drill Sergeant of the Year has been sentenced to 40 months in confinement and reduced to the rank of private after pleading guilty to domestic violence at a court-martial in Texas. The punishment comes as the Soldier continues to face separate felony charges in El Paso County for an alleged 2024 attack on his wife.
Sgt. 1st Class Armani M. Brown, a 19D cavalry scout and former drill sergeant with 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, was convicted Oct. 30 at Fort Bliss of one specification of domestic violence under Article 128b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. A military judge sentenced him to confinement, reduction to E-1, and a bad-conduct discharge, according to court-martial results.
Brown, who once represented Fort Jackson as its Drill Sergeant of the Year in 2021 and appeared in Army publications highlighting his leadership, is now serving his sentence in a military correctional facility. The Army has not responded to our requests for additional court-martial documents.
Despite the military conviction, Brown still faces two felony charges in El Paso County tied to a violent domestic incident reported on Sept. 19, 2024. According to police affidavits obtained by The Salty Soldier, the conflict began two days earlier, when Brown’s wife located him at a strip club. She told officers that discovery prompted her decision to file for divorce, and she informed Brown of her intentions while she was away from their home that morning.
When she returned around 12:30 p.m., she said Brown told her he had already called her father to discuss the situation, which escalated the argument. The couple continued arguing through multiple rooms of the house before the confrontation turned physical in the living room. According to the affidavits, Brown came up behind her, grabbed her neck with one hand around the back and one around the front, and applied enough pressure that she could not breathe for several seconds. She said he attempted to throw her by the neck and then forced her onto the couch, straddled her chest, and punched her left shoulder.
She told officers he pushed her head into the couch with such force that the metal on her braces cut the inside of her cheek. Officers later documented red marks across her neck, a bump on her shoulder, and small lacerations inside her mouth—injuries consistent with her statement and photographed for evidence.
The situation escalated further when she told him the marriage was over. According to her account, Brown went into the bedroom, retrieved his Glock 45 9mm handgun, loaded it, and said, “I’m sorry I have to do this.” She told police he pointed the firearm at her and fired two rounds as she stood near the closet door. The bullets struck the wall just inches from her. She said she fell to the floor as her ears rang and believed she was about to be killed.
The affidavits state Brown then stood over her with the handgun behind his back and told her she should be “grateful” for her life. She tried to calm him while backing away. Officers responding to the scene later recovered a disassembled Glock from the bedroom floor, two bullet holes in the wall, and strike marks consistent with her account.
Brown returned to the home while officers were still present and agreed to speak with them. He admitted placing her in a chokehold and firing the gun but claimed he was overwhelmed and “tired” during the altercation. He alleged she slapped and punched him first, though officers noted that an audio recording captured gunshots, screaming, the sound of the weapon racking, and Brown repeatedly yelling, “this is it.”
Brown pleaded not guilty to the state charges earlier this year.
Court records show the Texas case remains active, with hearings, continuances, and multiple changes of defense counsel throughout 2025. Jury selection and trial dates have been scheduled into late 2025, indicating the county intends to move forward with prosecution regardless of his military conviction.
Legal experts note that Brown’s conviction at court-martial does not prevent Texas from continuing its case. Under U.S. law, the Army and the State of Texas are separate sovereigns, meaning both can prosecute offenses arising from the same incident without violating double-jeopardy protections. The military elected to pursue one count of domestic violence under Article 128b of the UCMJ, while Texas is prosecuting different offenses: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault by impeding breath or circulation. Because the charges differ and the authorities operate independently, the state case moves forward unaffected.
If convicted in Texas, Brown could face a substantial additional prison sentence. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a first-degree felony in cases involving the discharge of a firearm toward another person, carrying a potential punishment of five to 99 years or life in prison. Assault by impeding breath or circulation is typically charged as a third-degree felony, punishable by two to ten years. Sentences may run concurrently or consecutively depending on how the judge structures the punishment.
Brown has already begun serving his 40-month sentence from the Army. A conviction in state court could add years—or even decades—to the time he spends in custody.
According to court records, jury selection in the El Paso County case is scheduled for Dec. 5, and the jury trial is set to begin Dec. 8.
The Salty Soldier will continue monitoring the El Paso County proceedings and will provide updates as the case develops.
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