U.S. military says American marine in Japan sentenced to 4 years
May 16, 2008TOKYO - The U.S. military says a military court has found an American marine guilty of abusive sexual conduct of a Japanese teenager in Okinawa, southern Japan.
The military said Staff Sgt. Tyrone Hadnott was sentenced Friday to four years in prison. Four other charges, including rape of a child under 16, making false official statements, adultery and "kidnapping through inveigling," or trickery, were dropped.
Japanese police initially apprehended Hadnott in the attack, but released him after the girl dropped charges.
U.S. authorities then investigated the case under the strict military justice code.
The case has stirred anger against U.S. bases in Japan and triggered tight restrictions on troop movements.
