As anticipated last week on JURIST's Paper Chase, US Army Staff Sgt. Ivan "Chip" Frederick pleaded guilty Wednesday to five charges of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, including dereliction of duty and assault. Frederick will be sentenced at a hearing Thursday. Under a plea deal between Frederick and the military, some other charges were dropped. The maximum sentence for the charges is 18 years in prison. Frederick is only the second soldier convicted in the abuse scandal and the highest-ranking soldier to be charged. In May, Spc. Jeremy Sivits pleaded guilty to abuse charges and is serving a one-year sentence. The original charges against Frederick are available here. JURIST's Paper Chase has ongoing coverage of the legal aftermath of Abu Ghraib. AP has more.

UPDATE: A US Central Command press release on the guilty plea and proceedings in the sentencing phase of Sgt. Frederick's military trial is now online here.