A military judge found Air Force Maj. Gen. William Cooley guilty of one charge of abusive sexual contact on the sixth day of an historic court-martial at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Air Force Judge Col. Christina Jimenez deliberated for some five hours Friday before recessing for the day. The verdict was pronounced as soon as court opened Saturday morning.

The charge had three specifications involving how the two-star general was reported to have touched the complainant in the case — forcing his tongue in her mouth, forcing her hand to his genitals and pushing his hand between her legs and cupping her breast, according to an Air Force charge sheet.

The judge found Cooley guilty of the first specification and not guilty of the latter two.

A former commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Cooley was charged with abusive sexual contact in an encounter with his sister-in-law inside a Jeep when she gave him a ride after a family backyard barbecue in a New Mexico off-duty incident nearly four years ago.

The victim in the case, the wife of Cooley’s brother, is a civilian woman who is not a Department of Defense employee. Cooley’s brother works for the Air Force in New Mexico as a civilian employee.

Cooley had faced loss of rank, pay and benefits and up to 21 months of confinement. And he may have to register as a sexual offender.

Now after Saturday’s verdict, in terms of confinement, the maximum possible sentence is seven years per charge. An Air Force spokeswoman said Saturday that Cooley does not face loss of rank. It was not immediately clear Saturday what impact the conviction will have on Cooley’s career.

This is the first time a court-martial of an Air Force general reached trial.