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Soldier who appeared on pom site gets jail'Ring leader' in case is kicked out of ArmyTORT BRAGG (AP) — A sol-dier who pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sex for money for a military-themed Web site was sentenced to three months in prison and will be discharged from the service.Pfc. Wesley K. Mitten, 21, pleaded guilty to sodomy, conduct detrimental to the Army and cocaine use. He is one of seven soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division accused of appearing on the site. Two others, Pvt. Kagen B. Mullen and Pfc. Richard Ashley, have also pleaded guilty and sentenced to prison. Like Mitten, they were also ordered to forfeit two-thirds of their pay and received bad conduct discharges.Mitten said in court that the Web site’s producer, Dennis Ashe, contacted him through the Internet in August 2005. The two met the next day and Ashe offered Mitten $2,000 to perform in a gay pornography video, Mitten said.Mitten also made anotherfilm, posed for pictures and appeared before a camera for Internet broadcasts, he said. He earned $6,000 in three months, he told the judge, Col. Grant S. Jaquith.Judge asked Mitten, the son of career military man, why he agreed to appear on the site.“It was for the money, your honor,” Mitten said.Army prosecutors said Mitten helped recruit other members of his unit for Ashe.“The accused was the ring leader. He brought people in,” Capt. I^ee Zeldin said. “He exploited other members of the unit, but it was okay because Pvt. Mitten was making a buck.”Mitten apologized for his involvement with the site.“I am sorry for disgracing my family name and my unit. I am sorry and I wish I could take it all back,” he said.Four other soldiers were punished outside of the military court system. All fourASSOCIATED PRESSPleads guilty in gay pom case: Army Pfc. Wesley K. Mitten arrives at the Staff Judge Advocate building at Fort Bragg on Tuesday.were reduced in rank to pri- 45 days. The Army has dis-vate, forfeited half a month’s charged one paratrooper and pay for two months, per- has recommended discharges formed extra work and were for the other three, division of-restricted to Fort Bragg for ficials said.
Newspaper Details
Jacksonville Daily News
Jacksonville, North Carolina, US
Wed, May 17, 2006
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 23 Oct 2019
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