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Ex-U.S. Army Commander Faces Bigamy Charges


The former commander of a U.S. Army brigade that served in both Iraq and Afghanistan is on trial for bigamy.

Colonel James Johnson faces six charges tied to his alleged affair with an Iraqi woman he met while serving in Iraq in 2005-06.

Johnson used official vehicles to visit the woman after she emigrated to the Netherlands and allowed her to run up more than $80,000 in charges on an Army cellphone.

The couple eventually married while Johnson was still married to his first wife.

Johnson, who last year was removed from his command of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, pleaded guilty to most of the charges during the first day of his military trial on June 10 in Germany.

He faces multiple years in prison and a dishonorable discharge if convicted.

Based on reporting by AP and armytimes.com

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