A military judge Wednesday sentenced Petty Officer 3rd Class Ariel J. Weinmann to 12 years in prison and a dishonorable discharge for desertion and turning over classified information to a foreign agent, The Virginian-Pilot is reporting this morning.Capt. Daniel O'Toole handed down a 25-year term, but was forced by a plea agreement to suspend 13 years. With time already served, Weinmann will be eligible for parole in less than four years.
Beats hanging, which would have been my first choice for him.
"This is a very patriotic kid and a very patriotic family," Weinmann's civilian attorney, Phillip Stackhouse, told O'Toole. "You have to ask yourself, 'How did this happen?' "
During Wednesday's sentencing hearing, said his fiancee had left him and he had grown disillusioned with the Navy after two years of service, he said. "I just would like to apologize to everyone involved in this, especially my parents and my sister," he said. "I apologize to everybody."