North Carolina ? The first American civilian to be charged with mistreating a detainee during the wars prompted by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 8 1/2 years in prison for beating a man in Afghanistan who later died.

Former CIA contract employee David Passaro, 40, was accused of hitting Afghan detainee Abdul Wali with a flashlight and kicking him in the groin during a two-day interrogation in July 2003 at a remote military base. Wali died within 48 hours of the interrogation, after complaining of abdominal pain and an inability to urinate.

U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle has said the absence of an autopsy probably kept Passaro from being charged with murder.

“Passaro’s conduct was an affront to all of our men and women serving and fighting to spread freedom and the rule of law,” U.S. Attorney George Holding said.

Passaro was found guilty last year of felony assault and could have received 11 1/2 years in prison.