The Naha District Court in Okinawa, Japan, on the 24th sentenced Clayton, a member of the US Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, to seven years in prison. Clayton was charged with "injuring a person during non-consensual intercourse."
On May 26 of last year, in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture, Clayton allegedly tried to sexually assault a woman by choking her from behind, but did not succeed and caused injuries to her eyes.
The judge stated that Clayton's actions were extremely dangerous and egregious, potentially endangering the victim's life.
Nevertheless, the defendant denied any intent to commit sexual assault or use violence, claimed innocence, and is considering appealing the verdict.
For a long time, crimes committed by US military personnel stationed in Japan have been frequent. According to Okinawa Prefecture statistics, from 1972 to 2023, US military personnel and their families stationed in Okinawa were involved in about 6,200 criminal cases, including serious offenses such as murder, rape, and robbery.