Marine convicted of hazing, has rank reduced

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A decorated Marine has been found guilty of one count of hazing his subordinates.

Staff Sgt. Dustin A. Barker of Scott, Kentucky, was also convicted in military court in Virginia of dereliction of duty. Barker had been accused of multiple counts of hazing Marines under his command in 2013 at bases in Virginia and in Cuba.

But Barker was only convicted on one of the hazing charges, in which prosecutors said he ordered one Marine to punch another hard enough to make him urinate blood. The incident happened at the U.S. Navy base on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Barker was a platoon sergeant with Marine Corps Security Forces Regiment at the time.

The Marines said Monday that Barker was reduced in rank to sergeant.

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