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The jury of nine colonels took just more than an hour of deliberations Thursday to sentence U.S. Air Force Col. Samuel Lofton III to nine years in prison, forfeiture of all pay and benefits, dismissal from the Air Force and a fine of $14,000.

He could have been sentenced to 140 years in prison on the 34 counts against him.

Loftin was convicted on two counts of indecent assault on a woman. He had pleaded guilty to 11 counts of absent without leave, 17 counts of larceny and two counts of dereliction of duty, the Times Record News newspaper in Wichita Falls, Texas, reported.

An appeal is automatic unless it the convicted waives that right.

Lofton will be held at Sheppard in a "house arrest" situation before being transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., a military spokesman said. There his case will be reviewed by the 2nd Air Force commander.

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