Former Nevada National Guard Sergeant First Class Allison Bailey filed an Inspector General complaint in September 2020 alleging bullying and a toxic work environment after being ordered to evaluate a subordinate she says sexually assaulted her. In December 2020, her superior, Major Laurie Macafee, reportedly solicited complaints against Bailey, and the Guard opened an Article 15 misconduct investigation on January 4, 2021. Bailey later formally reported the alleged assault; Nevada’s Department of Public Safety closed the case on June 9, 2021, citing insufficient evidence for prosecution. The alleged attacker denied wrongdoing, refused to provide his phone passcode, and was promoted in September 2021.
The Guard nevertheless used unverified screenshots from that investigation in proceedings against Bailey, according to her attorney Chris Tinsman, who called the case retaliation. A National Guard finding led to her demotion, denial of a requested medical-disability evaluation in May 2022, and an other-than-honorable discharge on January 15, 2023. Bailey died on March 4, 2023, at age 33, from acute cardiopulmonary arrest; the source does not establish that Guard actions caused her death. Her mother, Felicia Cavanagh, filed a wrongful-death and constitutional lawsuit on January 26, 2025, alleging Bailey was denied due process because Nevada law barred her from requesting a court-martial. Nevada Senate Bill 95, introduced in 2025, would restore that right; the lawsuit and allegations remain unresolved.
