News
2006-04-29
Army soldier who
appeared on gay porn site goes to jail
Gay porn soldier
goes to jail
One of seven
soldiers who appeared on a military-themed gay po
An Army
paratrooper pleaded guilty Thursday to engaging in sex acts
on a military-themed gay pornographic Web site and was
sentenced to prison. Pfc. Richard T. Ashley, one of
seven members of the 82nd Airborne Division charged
with appearing on the site, pleaded guilty to sodomy,
conduct considered detrimental to the Army and the unit, and
drug use.
He was sentenced
to 90 days in prison but was given 15 days' credit.
Ashley also was demoted to private, will receive a bad
conduct discharge, and will lose two thirds of his
pay. "I've embarrassed the entire Army, my country
and, most of all, dishonored God," Ashley said during
the hearing.
Pfc. Wesley K.
Mitten and Pvt. Kagen B. Mullen were charged with
pandering, sodomy, and conduct detrimental to the Army and
the unit. Mitten and Mullen, who also faces adultery
charges, have pleaded not guilty.
The 82nd Airborne
says that four other soldiers, whose names were not
released, received nonjudicial punishment for appearing on
the Web site. They were reduced in rank to private,
forfeited half a month's pay for two months, performed
extra work, and were restricted to Fort Bragg for 45
days. The Army has recommended that all seven be discharged.
The 15,000
paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne are among the Army's most
elite soldiers, having volunteered to serve in a unit that
trains to deploy anywhere in the world within 18
hours. The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy
states that "homosexual orientation alone is not a bar
to service, but homosexual conduct is incompatible with
military service." Service members who violate the policy
are removed from the military. (AP)
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