Editor’s Note: This story contains discussions of rape or sexual assault that may be disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can find help and discreet resources on the National Sexual Assault Hotline website or by calling 1-800-656-4673.
(NewsNation) — A court in Japan has sentenced a U.S. Marine to seven years in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in Okinawa.
According to a local news outlet, Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, was accused of choking a woman in her 20s while attempting to rape her back in May of 2024. Clayton denied having any sexual intent or using physical force against her.
The case against Clayton is the latest in a string of criminal allegations against U.S. personnel in Japan. The Okinawa islands have 32 U.S. military facilities and have for years been the center of protests from locals who want less of a presence from the military.
In the ruling, Naha District Court Presiding Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim’s account was “precise and authentic,” noting that she reported the incident to both the police and a friend shortly afterward.
Prosecutors requested a 10-year prison sentence for Clayton. An attorney for Clayton said he was considering appealing the ruling.
A report from the Pentagon published in April showed that the number of sexual assault cases across the U.S. military dropped, with 8,195 cases reported in 2024 compared to 8,515 the previous year. Senior defense officials said while the drop was a positive sign, sexual assault reports are still too high.