NEW YORK

 An Army sergeant who was held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan for five years was charged with desertion, army officials announced on Wednesday.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was freed in May 2014 as part of a prisoner swap for five Taliban leaders held at Guantánamo Bay detention camp.

The charges, which also include one count of misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a unit, could carry a life sentence in a military prison.

In a press conference at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Army Col. Daniel King said the case would go to a preliminary hearing – similar to a hearing of a civilian grand jury proceeding – to decide if charges are appropriate.

The exchange that led to Bergdahl's release, which was initially hailed as a victory for the Obama administration, quickly became controversial due to the ambiguous circumstances of the sergeant's capture, including allegations that he had attempted to desert.

Fellow soldiers who served with Bergdahl accused him of knowingly wandering away from his unit, adding that some troops died in the search for him.