Breaking News: US Army Presses Desertion Charges Against Private Travis King for Bold Escape into North Korea

U.S. Army Charges Private Travis King with Crimes Including Desertion and Assault

Oct 19 (Reuters) – Private Travis King, a 23-year-old soldier, is facing charges from the U.S. Army for a series of crimes. These crimes range from desertion for fleeing to North Korea in July to assault against fellow soldiers and solicitation of child pornography. Reuters has obtained documents outlining the charges against King.

The Army has leveled eight distinct charges against King under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This sets the stage for a significant legal battle for King after his release from North Korean custody in September. The Army has yet to respond to requests for comment on the case.

In a statement from King’s mother, Claudine Gates, provided by a family spokesperson, Gates expresses her unconditional love and requests that her son be presumed innocent. Gates believes that something happened to her son while he was deployed, and she awaits the results of the Army’s investigation into the matter.

For the past few weeks, the U.S. Army has refrained from commenting on whether King would face disciplinary action. The Army’s priority has been to ensure that King receives proper care after his two-month captivity in North Korea. King was released by North Korea in September following negotiations involving the Swedish government. He was handed over to the U.S. ambassador in China.

On September 28, King was flown to a military hospital in Texas for medical evaluations, including an assessment of his mental health. There is still limited information available on the treatment King received in North Korean custody, and he has not publicly explained why he fled to the reclusive nation on July 19.

The Army’s charge sheet also implicates King in various acts of misconduct, including an attempted escape from U.S. military custody in October 2022.

It is alleged that King solicited a Snapchat user in July 2023 to produce child pornography. He is also charged with possession of child pornography. Additionally, King is accused of insubordination for leaving his base after curfew and consuming alcohol against Army regulations.

King’s family has retained legal counsel to defend him, including Franklin Rosenblatt, who served as the lead military defense counsel during the court martial proceedings against Bowe Bergdahl. Claudine Gates expressed gratitude for the exceptional legal team representing her son and looks forward to his day in court.

Prior to the charges stemming from his time in North Korea, King had faced accusations of assault in South Korea. He pleaded guilty to assault and damaging public property for his involvement in a profanity-laced incident where he damaged a police car. Instead of opting for a fine, King chose to serve over a month in South Korean detention.

King was scheduled to face disciplinary action in the United States after his release from South Korean detention. However, he evaded authorities and made his way to the border area between North and South Korea. From there, he crossed into North Korea and was immediately detained.

The third charge against King is desertion. The Army asserts that King left the Army in South Korea with the intention of permanently staying away, and remained absent until around September 27, 2023.

Reporting by Phil Stewart. Editing by Gerry Doyle

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Phil Stewart is an experienced reporter who has covered events in over 60 countries, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, and South Sudan. He is based in Washington and has received awards for his national security reporting. Stewart has appeared on various news programs and moderated national security events.

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