Mabus stripped Sanders of the Silver Star. According to a Navy spokesperson, "Had the subsequently determined facts and evidence surrounding both the incident for which the award was made and the processing of the award itself been known to the secretary of the Navy in 1992, those facts would have prevented the award of the Silver Star." Sanders is the author of many published articles and opinion pieces in major newspapers and the Navy Institute Proceeding, and served as a columnist for Military.com and a television commentator on national security matters and the war in Iraq for NBC and Fox. Personal life On December 22, 2008, Sanders pleaded guilty to one felony charge of possession of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego. Investigators found eight videos in addition to individual photos containing child pornography on Sanders' computers. After initially denying that he was in possession of child pornography, Sanders later stated that the material was for an article on child exploitation in foreign countries and was intended for scholarly purposes as he had previously worked in aiding child sex abuse victims in Yugoslavia and stated that his motives were "pure and innocent". A therapist treating Sanders testified that he was not a danger to children, and several mental health experts concluded he was not a pedophile. Prior to the sentence hearing, more than 50 people expressed their support of Sanders, including U.S. Senators Kerry, Cleland, and Congresswoman Schenk. On May 4, 2009, Sanders was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Whelan to 37 months in prison. He was released from federal prison on March 16, 2012. On January 9, 2013, Sanders was disbarred by the California Bar. References External links Wade Sanders Archives at Military.com Wade Sanders on KPBS TV San Diego "Full Focus" United States of America v Wade Sanders Statement of Wade Sanders Living people 21st-century American criminals California Democrats California State University, Long Beach alumni Clinton administration personnel Criminals from California Harvard Kennedy School alumni Prisoners and detainees of California Recipients of the Silver Star United States Navy officers University of San Diego alumni Year of birth missing (living people)