The U.S. Army dropped charges against Sgt. Jonathan Lane, freeing the soldier who disappeared from his base in Germany and reported to a military hospital under a false name. (US Army)

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — An American soldier who disappeared from his Bavarian base last year and appeared at a military hospital under a false name he is allowed out of the Army without charges after a judge dismissed the case against him.

Sgt. Jonathan Lane, 31, requested release in lieu of court-martial during a preliminary hearing Oct. 30 at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, 7th Army Training Command spokeswoman Lacey said Tuesday Justinger.

He had been charged with one count of criminal mischief of attempted voluntary manslaughter, child endangerment and desertion. His court-martial was scheduled for February and he would have faced up to 31 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

After reviewing the evidence, Judge Lt. Col. Tom Hynes agreed to Lane’s request, who was given an other-than-honorable discharge and reduced in rank to private.

Lane has been released from custody and is being processed outside the military, Justinger said. He was a helicopter repairman assigned to the 12th Fighter Aviation Brigade at US Army Garrison Ansbach.

On June 27, 2023, Lane was reported missing after not showing up for duty. Four days earlier, he had been seen trying to access Ramstein Air Force Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center under the name David Hersher.

Army officials declined to say whether he received hospital treatment, citing medical confidentiality rules. Ramstein is about 125 miles west of Lane’s former workplace.

Lane’s car was later found abandoned near Urbach in Rheinland-Pfalz state, about two hours north of Ramstein, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division previously said. His last known location was Koblenz Main Station on June 29, 2023.

Advertisements appeared in military post offices in Germany asking for the public’s help in locating him. He was caught on April 5 near the southwestern city of Trier.

The charges will be formally withdrawn and dismissed upon Lane’s separation from active duty, Justinger said. Upon his release, he will be denied many veterans benefits under state and federal law.

No other stipulations or restrictions were placed on him, Justinger said.