(WASHINGTON) — The Marine Corps says the American detained in Russia on espionage charges was convicted in a 2008 court-martial on charges related to larceny.
Michigan resident Paul N. Whelan’s service record was released Wednesday by the Marine Corps at the Pentagon and shows he joined the Marine Reserves in 1994 and rose to the rank of staff sergeant in 2004. Whelan was an administrative clerk and administrative chief and deployed for the war against Iraq for several months in 2004 and 2006.
He was convicted at a special court-martial in January 2008 and given a bad-conduct discharge in December 2008 at the rank of private. Details of the larceny charges were not released.
Whelan’s last place of duty was Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.
Whelan was arrested Friday in Moscow, where his brother says he was attending a wedding. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pahm-PAY’-oh) says the U.S. hopes to soon get access to him.
