BAGHDAD, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Four soldiers from Fort Bliss, Texas, serving in Iraq have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of their subordinates, officials said Friday.
The charges were filed Wednesday against Staff Sgt. Enoch Chatman, Staff Sgt. Bob Clements, Sgt. Jarrett Taylor and Spc. Daniel Weber, the Army Times reported. All four were attached to B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, at Fort Bliss.
The allegedly mistreatment consisted of verbal abuse, physical punishment and ridicule of the subordinate soldiers, Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a spokesman for coalition forces in Iraq, said in an e-mail to the Army Times.
The alleged maltreatment became known during a separate investigation into the non-combat death of a soldier, Olson said. However, he said there is no direct evidence linking the alleged misconduct to the death.
"Accusations of cruelty and maltreatment are taken very seriously, and we will investigate this isolated incident thoroughly," U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David Elicerio, deputy commanding general for the forces in Iraq, said in a statement.
All four Texas soldiers were charged with cruelty, maltreatment and reckless endangerment. Chatman, Clements and Taylor were charged with making false official statements. Clements and Weber were accused of impeding an investigation.
