Deserter Travis King is released after being sentenced to one year in prison, the time he already served behind bars

Deserter Travis King was sentenced Friday to a year in prison for crossing into North Korea. Considering his time behind bars in North Korea and his "good behavior," according to his lawyer, King was eligible for release.

Franklin D. Rosenblatt, his legal representative, explained that the 24-year-old pleaded guilty to five charges in front of a court-martial at Fort Bliss, Texas: one for desertion, three for disobedience and one more for assault on a noncommissioned officer.

As part of the deal, the Wisconsin native was also demoted and received a dishonorable discharge.

The soldier deserted last year while serving in South Korea, crossing the border into North Korea and, according to the North Korean regime, seeking asylum. King escaped before boarding a plane bound for Texas where he was to be tried by the military hierarchy after spending 48 days in a Korean prison for kicking a police car. His deportation to the United States was concluded in September.

Rosenblatt argued that the defector had faced "significant challenges," "including a difficult upbringing, exposure to criminal environments, and struggles with mental health," which had been compounded by the "hardships" he encountered while serving in the military. In his defense, the lawyer spoke of episodes of racism and issues adjusting.

He further noted that although he has accepted his guilt in court, "the negative public perception and the ongoing consequences of his actions, coupled with the confinement he's endured, represents an ongoing punishment Travis King will endure for the rest of his life."