Defense seeks leniency for ‘Satanist’ soldier in KS bomb plot

(AP) A former Army infantry soldier described by prosecutors as a Satanist who hoped to overthrow the U.S. government faces sentencing next week. His defense attorney argued in a court filing Thursday for a more lenient punishment of 15 months for Jarrett William Smith. He says Smith endured a lifetime of victimization, isolation and trauma that led him to become involved with online extremist groups. Smith was a private first class stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 24-year-old soldier was discharged from the military after admitting earlier this year that he provided information about explosives to an FBI undercover agent.