Personally, I believe it. These guys don't sound smart enough to make political gestures. Even with the bar set as low as it is nowadays.
Hopefully, the judge will come up with some creative form of punishment. Painting flagpoles at the local VFW post, for instance.
Maybe they could clean the floors at the local USMC recruiter’s office with a toothbrush. Every weekend for a year. And they ought to go to a couple of Marine funerals, maybe a tour of boot camp, a visit to Walter Reed.
They should get the old choice from the 1960s. Enlist in the Marines, or go to prison. The Marines have made productive citizens out of more than one delinquent.
I can think of much better punishment. Like being volunteers at the VA Hospital 2 days a week for a year. Maybe if they had to work with and for our veterans who have made our country what it is then they'd have a little more respect.
A good old fashioned boot camp blanket party comes to mind.