Southwest
US National Guard officer pleads guilty to assault, sexual harassment
- Lt. Col. Mark Patterson, a New Hampshire National Guard officer, who led a battalion on the southern U.S. border, pleaded guilty to assault and several other charges.
- A military judge in Texas convicted and sentenced Patterson to a reprimand as part of a plea agreement.
- The charges included assault consummated by a battery, sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming an officer, violation of a general order and others.
A New Hampshire National Guard officer who led a battalion on the southern U.S. border has pleaded guilty to assault and several other crimes and been sentenced to a reprimand, the U.S. Army said Thursday.
A military judge in Texas on Wednesday convicted and sentenced Lt. Col. Mark Patterson as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to assault consummated by a battery, sexual harassment, conduct unbecoming an officer, violation of a general order and other charges, said Army spokesperson Leah Garton. She said that the sentence was “consistent with the terms of a plea agreement.”
Defense attorney Joseph Jordan said his client owned up to his errors. He said the judge also took into consideration that Patterson had a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
NEW HAMPSHIRE NATIONAL GUARD OFFICER EXPECTED TO BE CHARGED WITH ASSAULT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT
“He took responsibility for exactly what he did wrong, and that is why his sentence was only a reprimand. It is important to remember that this is a decorated combat veteran who suffers greatly from documented PTSD and TBI,” Jordan said. “All of that was taken into account, yesterday.”
A guard stands at a gate to Fort Sam Houston, on June 10, 2013, in San Antonio. Lt. Col. Mark Patterson, a New Hampshire National Guard officer, pleaded guilty to assault and several other crimes and was sentenced to a reprimand. The investigation concluded in May and led to a court-martial at Fort Sam Houston in which Patterson pleaded guilty. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Patterson, of Weare, New Hampshire, was deployed with his unit to the southern border in October 2022 and assigned to support U.S. Border Patrol. In January 2023, the Army opened an investigation and Patterson, then commander, was reassigned, an Army spokesperson said previously. The investigation concluded in May and led to the court-martial at Joint Base San Antonio–Fort Sam Houston in which Patterson pleaded guilty.
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The Army has not released details on the actions that led to Patterson being charged and did not immediately provide additional information Thursday.
Jordan described the circumstances as a “four-month situation” and said “there are absolutely no clean hands by any party to this case, including the alleged victims.
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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