Army Warrant Officer convicted of raping two victims during trial at Fort Rucker, authorities seeking other possible victims

FORT RUCKER, Ala. – An Army rotary wing aviator was convicted by a military jury of raping two women and sentenced to 31 years in prison at the conclusion of his court-martial April 29 at the Fort Rucker Courtroom.

Warrant Officer Dawson Van Manen, 27, assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade, was also sentenced by the military judge to a dishonorable discharge from Army and total forfeiture of pay and allowances.

In addition to the rape charges, Van Manen was convicted of the possession of anabolic steroids, which is a Schedule III controlled substance, and disobeying a lawful order.

Van Manen was apprehended by agents with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and Naval Criminal Investigative Service on August 29, 2024, after the first victim reported a rape that occurred in earlier that month at the Navy Lodge & Suites, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., after a night of drinking and socializing at a bar off base.

The victim started communicating with Van Manen on the dating app Bumble and the couple met in person for the first time that night at the bar in Pensacola.

Agents with Army CID discovered that he had used the false name “2nd Lt. David Johnson” on his dating app profile to conceal his true identity. He also registered at the Navy Lodge & Suites using the first name “David.”

After the assault, she went to the local hospital where medical staff gathered evidence using a rape kit. During the trial, the nurse testified that the victim’s swelling and injuries were the worst she’d seen in her career.

Shortly after the first victim reported her rape, Van Manen’s estranged wife also came forward and informed Army CID that she had endured years of abuse, to include a violent rape in December 2023.

At that time, Van Manen and his then-wife were living in Ozark, Ala., near Fort Rucker. One evening after she rebuffed his request for sex, he became violent, threatening that he had wanted to chop her up and have sex with her dead body. He then proceeded to tie her up, cover her mouth with duct tape and video record himself raping her. After the assault, the victim called her sister saying she was terrified that he would kill her.

While under investigation for these rapes in June 2025, Van Manen was ordered to remain on post at Fort Rucker by his commander but violated that order by going off post to meet up with another woman who was not his wife. Simultaneously, he was caught by his roommate possessing and admitting to using multiple anabolic steroids.

“This conviction is a testament to the courage of Warrant Officer VanManen's victims and the diligent efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies across various military branches,” said Maj. Morghan Beaudoin, prosecutor, Third Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “As a prosecutor, I am continually inspired by the bravery of every victim who comes forward to identify their abusers, especially these two women who exemplified remarkable fortitude throughout this process.”

“We are relieved that this officer panel at Fort Rucker came to a decision recognizing that the accused committed these violent rapes. They acknowledged what these women suffered at the hands of the true Dawson Van Manen, not hiding behind a false identity,” said Lt. Col. William Wicks, prosecutor, Complex Litigation Branch, Headquarters, Army OSTC. “We can only hope that recognition of Van Manen’s heinous conduct can help these women begin to heal.”

“These once strong independent women were left broken by the accused’s crimes. We hope this conviction serves as their first steps toward healing,” said Capt. Samuel Beckwith, prosecutor, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence & Fort Rucker.

“This conviction highlights the critical partnership between the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, while showcasing the technical excellence of our forensic and digital experts,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor, Army CID, Southeast Field Office. “The violence perpetrated by Van Manen is a direct affront to the foundation of trust and respect on which the U.S. Army is built.”

Van Manen will serve his prison sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.

Authorities believe it is possible Van Manen used his alias to meet and abuse other women. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Army CID at [www.p3tips.com/armycid](http://www.p3tips.com/armycid).

Army CID’s Fort Rucker Resident Unit and Eglin Resident Unit, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., led the investigation into the case with assistance from other Army CID units and the NCIS at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit [https://www.army.mil/ostc](https://www.army.mil/ostc).

If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at [www.p3tips.com/armycid](http://www.p3tips.com/armycid).