ITHACA -- An AWOL soldier from Fort Drum has asked the city of Ithaca to give him sanctuary.

But city officials say their sanctuary law wasn't meant to provide safe haven for AWOL soldiers and their hands are tied.

Private Trevor Loope of Austin, Texas, says he went AWOL a year ago to seek better care for depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The 22-year-old soldier spent 15 months fighting in Afghanistan.

On Wednesday night, Loope and his lawyer asked city officials to help him avoid criminal charges by invoking Ithaca's new "Community of Sanctuary" law.

The law, passed two months ago, is aimed at allowing veterans to exercise free speech and stage peaceful anti-war protests.

Loope now says he'll turn himself over to Army officials at Fort Drum on Thursday.