Army private who fled to North Korea charged with desertion, held by US military, authorities say
WASHINGTON — An Army private who fled to North Korea before being returned home to the United States earlier this month has been detained by the U.S. military, two officials said Thursday night, and is facing charges including desertion and possessing sexual images of a child.
Morry Gash, Associated Press
A portrait of American soldier Travis King is displayed as his grandfather, Carl Gates, talks about his grandson July 19 in Kenosha, Wis. King has been detained by the U.S. military and charged with desertion and child pornography, authorities said Thursday evening.
The eight counts against Pvt. Travis King are detailed in a charging document seen by The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the charges have not been publicly announced.
King’s mother, Claudine Gates, said in a statement that her son should be “afforded the presumption of innocence.”
“A mother knows her son, and I believe something happened to mine while he was deployed,” she said.
King, 23, joined the Army in January 2021 and was in South Korea as a cavalry scout with the 1st Armored Division, according to military officials.
On July 10 he was released from a South Korean prison after serving nearly two months on assault charges. He was set to be sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he could have faced potential additional disciplinary actions and discharge.
Officials said King was taken to the airport and escorted as far as customs. But instead of getting on the plane, he left and later joined a civilian tour of the Korean border village of Panmunjom. He bolted across the border, which is lined with guards and often crowded with tourists, in the afternoon.
