Camp Liberty, Iraq ? A former U.S. commander at the Iraqi jail that held Saddam Hussein was acquitted Friday of aiding the enemy but received two years imprisonment for convictions on other charges after pleading for leniency from the judge.

Army Lt. Col. William H. Steele, 52, of Prince George, Va., could have faced a life sentence if convicted of accusations he allowed prisoners to use his cell phone to make unmonitored calls.

“I have no excuse that would even remotely justify my actions,” Steele told the judge at his court-martial near Baghdad.

“I have come to realize how severe and detrimental consequences could have resulted from my failures,” the 28-year military veteran said. “I violated the confidence and trust that was placed in me by those who selected me for this job.”

Steele was acquitted of the charge of aiding the enemy for allegedly lending his cell phone to former members of Saddam’s regime, including those on death row, and an al-Qaida member at Camp Cropper prison in Baghdad. It was not known if Saddam was among them.

The judge, Lt. Col. Timothy Grammel, convicted him of unauthorized possession of classified documents, behavior unbecoming an officer for an inappropriate relationship with an interpreter and failing to obey an order.

The two-year sentence was lenient, considering Steele could have received 10 years in jail on the classified documents charge. He will also be dismissed from the service.