U.S. soldier jailed 15 months for desertion

A U.S. army deserter who fled to Canada rather than fight in Iraq was sentenced to 15 months in prison Friday, his lawyer said.

Pte. Robin Long, 25, of Boise, Idaho, faced a maximum jail term of three years, civilian lawyer James Branam said.

Long reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to desertion with intent to remain away permanently, a lesser charge than desertion with intent to shirk hazardous duty.

The soldier told a military judge in Fort Carson, Colo., that he fled when his unit was deployed to Iraq because of moral objections to what he felt was an illegal war.

Prosecutors said he abandoned his duty and his country.

Long came to Canada in 2005 and sought refugee status, but his claim was denied. He was deported from British Columbia on July 15 after a judge refused to grant a stay of his deportation order.