A former Air Force demonstration team member from New York has been sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty at a military court-martial involving child sexual abuse and child pornography offenses.
According to Department of the Air Force court-martial records reviewed by The Salty Soldier, Staff Sergeant Allen VanEtten was convicted at a general court-martial held at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
The Air Force says VanEtten pleaded guilty to offenses including solicitation of an offense, sexual abuse of a child, and child pornography charges involving the possession, receipt, and viewing of child pornography.
The court-martial concluded on April 3, 2026.
VanEtten was sentenced to a dishonorable discharge, 72 months of confinement, total forfeitures, reduction to Airman Basic, and a reprimand.
The case recently drew attention in VanEtten’s hometown area after New York media outlets reported on his conviction. Before his military career, VanEtten was known as a standout athlete at Corning-Painted Post West High School, where he played football and lacrosse.
VanEtten also previously appeared in Air Force promotional material. A 2022 Air Force biography identified him as a dedicated crew chief assigned to the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. The biography noted that he enlisted in the Air Force in 2016 and had previously served at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
While the Air Force has publicly disclosed the offenses and sentence, few details about the underlying conduct have been released. Publicly available court-martial records do not explain the circumstances behind the charges or provide additional information about the sexual abuse conviction.
To better understand the case and provide a more complete account of what occurred, The Salty Soldier has requested additional records from the Department of the Air Force.
This article will be updated if additional information becomes available.
© 2026 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved.
