Major convicted of rape goes missing

[unhappycamper]

Major convicted of rape goes missing
By Ashley Rowland, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, February 3, 2008

KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — An Air Force major convicted of rape remained missing late Friday night, more than 15 hours after failing to appear for the sentencing phase of his court-martial.

Kunsan Air Base officials released few details on measures taken to track down Maj. Mark Seldes, a 40-year-old flight surgeon convicted Thursday afternoon of raping a civilian woman on Nov. 4, 2006, after she had taken the sleeping medication Ambien and fallen into a deep sleep.

Seldes, who worked at Kunsan until the court-martial began on Monday, was allowed to go home after the verdict was announced Thursday afternoon.

“There were no indications that he was a flight risk or a threat to harm himself or others,” Col. Charles Brown, commander of Kunsan’s 8th Fighter Wing, stated in an e-mail response to query. “However, we were concerned with his well-being, as we are with all military members facing courts-martial. His commander was aware of the judicial proceedings and personally contacted Major Seldes after the verdict to assess his mental and emotional state.”

Kunsan public affairs officials, contacted early Friday morning, were unable to say by 10 p.m. Friday what, if any, search had been conducted, whether the base had been put on lockdown upon learning Seldes was missing, whether South Korean immigration officials had been alerted, or what investigators were doing to find him.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52140



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