Navy SEAL appears in naval base San Diego courtroom on sexual assault charges

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A San Diego-based Navy SEAL appeared in a military courtroom Friday, Aug. 21 on charges that he sexually assaulted a female sailor in Iraq last year.

Special Warfare Operator First Class Adel A. Enayat is accused of committing the assault following a Fourth of July barbecue on base and is facing sexual assault, aggravated assault and battery charges.

The charging sheet alleges Enayat sexually assaulted, choked and bit the victim at Al Assad Air Base in Iraq on July 4, 2019.

Navy spokesman Brian O' Rourke said Enayat was arraigned June 1, and appeared in court Friday for what's called an Article 39a session, similar to a motions hearing in civilian criminal court.

Many of the allegations against Enayat were outlined in an Associated Press article published Friday, citing an account from former sailor Colleen Grace, who said she spoke with the victim shortly after the alleged assault occurred.

Grace said the woman told her that what began as consensual sex turned violent when Enayat allegedly began choking and biting her.

Enayat's trial is expected to start Nov. 16.

The AP said it initially kept Enayat's name out of its story due to its policy regarding sexual assault victims, because Enayat had filed a counterclaim against his alleged victim, saying she sexually assaulted him. However, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said it has since closed its investigation into his allegations.

Enayat was part of a Navy SEAL platoon that was publicly pulled out of Iraq last year and sent back to San Diego, though details regarding why the move was made were scant at the time, other than it involved sexual assault and drinking alcohol while deployed.