Air Force Academy Sees New Assault, Drug Use Allegations

DENVER – The Air Force Academy (search), still reeling from a rape scandal that led to the ouster of its top brass, is investigating possible drug use by students and new sexual assault allegations against at least two male cadets.

The assault investigations are the first known cases since the academy installed new commanders in a shake-up prompted by complaints from at least 60 women who said they were ignored or punished when they reported sexual assaults.

The academy's Office of Special Investigations is pursuing the assault allegations.

One case involves a senior cadet and a 24-year-old civilian woman who was found drunk and semiconscious in the bed of his pickup truck, Colorado Springs (search) police Lt. Skip Arms said. Investigators are trying to determine whether the two had consensual sex, Arms said.

If charges are recommended, the district attorney and academy officials would decide who would pursue the case.

The drug probe involving several cadets is the first at the academy near Colorado Springs since seven cadets were sentenced to prison for selling or using drugs in 2001.

Academy officials refused to release details about the drug investigation, saying only that it involves several cadets.

Later Wednesday, the academy announced that junior Seth S.M. Tuatoo will face a court-martial Aug. 6 on a charge of using cocaine. It wasn't clear whether his case was related to the ongoing investigation.

An academy spokesman didn't return an after-hours telephone message. No phone listing for Tuatoo could be found.

A spokesman for Sen. Wayne Allard (search), R-Colo., who spearheaded an investigation after the sex scandal broke earlier this year, said the quick response to the assault reports over the weekend shows things have changed.

"It's very clear that the new leadership team is implementing the agenda for change," said Dick Wadhams, Allard's spokesman.

Two men associated with the academy have been charged with rape since the scandal broke.