The Region - News from May 21, 1987

A Tustin.-based Marine arrested last month in an espionage investigation will be released from the brig at Camp Pendleton because the military statute of limitations has expired in his case, the Marine Corps announced Wednesday. But the Corps said that it will seek to discharge Sgt. John J. Weirick, who was a guard at the U.S. consulate in Leningrad in 1981 and 1982 when security breaches allegedly occurred there, and that it will refer his case to the Justice Department for possible civilian prosecution. A Justice Department spokesman said that “we are going to take the case under review” but that there are no plans for civilian authorities to arrest Weirick on his release from the brig, where he has been detained since April 7.