Felony charges against freelance photographer Steve Morgan have been dropped after he and his co-defendants reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge at a court in Los Angeles.

Steve, and his 16 co-defendants – 15 Greenpeace activists and another freelance journalist – had faced up to six years in prison, and could still be jailed for up to six months.

The group were charged with conspiracy, trespassing and violating a safety zone following a Greenpeace protest against the Star Wars missile at the Vandenberg Air Force base in California on July 14 last year.

Steve had been taking photographs of the demonstration for Greenpeace when he was arrested.

The United States Attorney’s office agreed to drop the more serious felony charges in exchange for guilty pleas to the lesser misdemeanour charge of conspiracy to enter a military base.

Some of the defendants will have to appear in court on January 18 for sentencing and could still be given jail terms.

Greenpeace staff in the US have been bound by a civil injunction which prevents them participating in protests which break the law at military bases.