Three US Soldiers Punished in Colombia Sex Scandal

Three US Soldiers Punished in Colombia Sex Scandal

The US military has punished three more soldiers for sleeping with prostitutes in a sex scandal in Colombia that overshadowed President Barack Obama’s visit to a summit last year.

The three US Army sergeants were found guilty of violating the military’s code by having “relations” with prostitutes, US Southern Command said in a statement.

Two of the soldiers also were found guilty of “indecent acts” and a third of adultery, which is prohibited under military law.

The soldiers received letters of reprimand and loss of some pay but were not discharged under the “non-judicial punishments” meted out by commanders, the statement said.

Ten other military personnel have already been punished or reprimanded over the episode while two Navy sailors face a pending court martial, officials said.

The military team was part of a security detail for Obama’s visit to the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena in April, and their behavior came to light after nine civilian US Secret Service officers were caught for the same offense.

April’s scandal was embarrassing to the Obama administration and led to allegations that the servicemen and agents might have compromised national security or the president’s safety by consorting with Colombian women.

A Pentagon report last year concluded that, while the troops had breached US military rules by consorting with sex workers and had shown poor discipline by drinking, they had not endangered national security.

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