MIAMI – (CBSMiami.com) – A Miami man was arrested earlier this week after the U.S. Army accused him of deserting.

Palma Walter, 34, appeared before a bond court judge Wednesday and said through his attorney that he had left the U.S. Army in mid-July after his mother fell ill.

The judge, however, denied his attorney’s request to issue a bond and gave the military police until January 11th to pick him up.

If Walter, who was arrested on December 23rd, doesn’t get picked up before that date, then the judge agreed to set a bond.