Battalion commander relieved after holiday ball faces court-martial

The ex-commander of an engineer battalion stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, faces a June general court-martial for abusive sexual contact, according to online court records and an installation spokesperson.

Lt. Col. Jon-Paul Depreo, the former commander of the 46th Engineer Battalion, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact, one count of maltreating a subordinate and two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer, said Fort Polk spokesperson Shelby Waryas. Depreo was fired as commander in January for “a loss of trust and confidence in his judgment and ability to command.”