Former Navy Instructor Walks Out Of Hearing On Indecent Acts

QUANTICO, Md. (WJZ) -- A marine major convicted three years ago of committing indecent acts at the U.S. Naval Academy is now facing new charges.

WJZ's Alex DeMetrick reports the first case was about sex, the latest is about lies.

At the U.S. Naval Academy, it's a crime for military instructors to have sex with midshipmen.

In 2013, Marine Major Mark Thompson was convicted of doing just that with two female midshipmen in 2011. He served two months in a military prison was fined $60,000.

During his trial, he denied the charges, and he had a supporting witness -- another academy instructor, Marine Major Michael Pretus, who was removed last month amid charges of his alleged sexual misconduct.

Pretus originally backed Thompson's defense in 2013, but will now testify for the prosecution that Thompson lied under oath.

Thompson earlier told The Washington Post he was innocent: "People get in binds. People make false allegations. But then, once that happens, the system is supposed to be in place to sort those things out, and they turned on me to try to publicly hang me in order to protect their image."

Major Thompson's alleged lies include denial of a sexual relationship with the two female mids, denial he played strip poker and drank alcohol with them and a false statement about the last contact he had with one of the women. Thompson claims it was April 30, 2011, the woman says it was after graduation in late May 2011.

At a military hearing in Quantico Friday, Major Thompson's lawyer called it a "show trial." Thompson and his lawyer then walked out, and the hearing continued without them.

If Friday's hearing recommends a court marshal and Major Thompson is convicted, he faces a possible sentence of five years in prison and the loss of his military pension.