Oklahoma Soldier, 3 Others Charged with Cruelty

Staff and Wire Reports

BAGHDAD -- Four Fort Bliss soldiers in Iraq, including one from Edmond, have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of soldiers in their platoon.

In a statement released Friday, the military said charges were filed Wednesday against the four soldiers serving with Multi-National Division-South.

Read the full statement and charges released by the military

The statement identified the four men as Staff Sgt. Bob Clements of Eastland, Texas; Sgt. Enoch Chatman of West Covina, Calif.; Sgt. Jarrett Taylor of Edmond, Okla.; and Spc. Daniel Weber of Frankenmuth, Mich. All are assigned to the 13th Calvary Regiment from Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas.

The statement said the men are charged with multiple counts of cruelty and maltreatment.

The statement does not provide any details nor does it say when the allegations took place.

MSNBC is reporting Taylor and his counterparts are accused of hazing a teen soldier, 19-year-old Private Keiffer Wilhelm of Ohio. Wilhelm committed suicide 10 days after arriving in Iraq.

Taylor faces four charges including two for cruelty and maltreatment, one for making a false statement and another for reckless endangerment.

The maximum penalty for Taylor's charges is a "Dishonorable Discharge, eight years confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and reduction in rank to E-1," according to the military's statement.

Attempts to contact the Taylor family were unsuccessful.

Brig. Gen. David Elicerio, Deputy Commanding General for Multi-National Division-South. issued this statement:

"Accusations of cruelty and maltreatment are taken very seriously and we will investigate this isolated incident thoroughly."