US Army charges Travis King with desertion, other crimes

Private faces charges for desertion and other crimes for crossing into North Korea and misconduct.

US Army Private Travis King faces eight charges, including desertion, assaulting fellow soldiers, soliciting and possessing child pornography, providing false statements, and the illegal possession of alcohol.
The desertion charge was raised following King's unauthorized crossing into North Korea in July while stationed in South Korea. He was detained by North Korean authorities for two months before being expelled and returned to the U.S. in September.
Details of King's time in North Korean custody remain largely unknown. North Korea initially claimed that King had defected to escape racial discrimination and mistreatment in the U.S. Army.
Prior to his desertion, King was involved in disciplinary issues in South Korea, including assaulting a local in a bar and receiving jail time instead of paying a fine.
Upon his return to the U.S., King was scheduled for medical and mental health assessments as part of a reintegration program. He is now detained at Ft. Bliss, Texas, for pre-trial detention.
King’s mother, Claudine Gates, has pleaded for her son's presumption of innocence in these allegations, expressing concerns about his mental health and stating that she believes 'something happened' to him while he was deployed.