Baghdad, Iraq ? The highest-ranking U.S. soldier charged in the abuse of prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday, the longest term handed down so far in the scandal.

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Ivan L. “Chip” Frederick II, who was found guilty of assault, maltreatment, dereliction of duty, indecent acts and conspiracy, also was reduced in rank to private, ordered to forfeit pay and given a dishonorable discharge from the military.

Frederick, 38, had faced a possible 10 years in prison. Defense lawyer Gary Myers called the punishment excessive and said he would appeal.

As part of the plea deal with prosecutors, Frederick confessed to beating and humiliating Iraqi prisoners while taking souvenir pictures of the abuse. He agreed to cooperate with other prosecutions.

Frederick said he wrapped loose wires around a prisoner’s finger and threatened to electrocute him if he fell off a narrow box. He confessed also to punching a prisoner and ordering him to masturbate in front of others “just to humiliate him.”

On Thursday, Myers argued that Frederick, a Virginia prison guard in civilian life, was never properly trained by the Army for his job as night supervisor at Abu Ghraib.

Army prosecutor Maj. Michael Holley argued that the case was a simple matter of right and wrong.

“He’s an adult capable of making decisions,” Holley told the court before sentencing. “He’s an adult capable of telling, as we learned, the difference between right and wrong. How much training do you need to learn that it’s wrong to force a man to masturbate?”