Man accused of sexually abusing boys on air base

A Minnesota man has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he sexually abused two boys on a U.S. Air Force Base overseas.

Online court records indicate 29-year-old Joshua Gardner of St. Francis entered his plea Tuesday during a detention hearing.

Federal and military officials say an indictment unsealed Monday in Minneapolis charges Gardner with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of abusive sexual contact of a child.

The indictment alleges Gardner sexually abused two boys under the age of 12 on the Kadena U.S. Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan, between September 1997 and May 2002. During that time, Gardner lived in Okinawa.

Gardner was arrested last Friday. He was ordered to a halfway house and his trial scheduled for Nov. 28.

Dear reader,

Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.

Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?

It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.

Volume Button
Volume
Now Listening To Livestream
Cathy Wurzer
On Air
Morning Edition with Cathy Wurzer