Marine charged in rape gets 4 years on lesser charge

Marine charged in rape gets 4 years on lesser charge
By Tomoko A. Hosaka - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday May 16, 2008 7:56:56 EDT

TOKYO — A Marine accused of raping a 14-year-old Japanese girl was convicted of a lesser charge Friday during a court-martial and sentenced to four years in prison in a case that inflamed public anger at the American military presence on Okinawa.

Staff Sgt. Tyrone L. Hadnott, 38, was found guilty of abusive sexual conduct, said Master Sgt. Chuck Albrecht. He said four other charges — rape of a child under 16, making false official statements, adultery and “kidnapping through inveigling,” or trickery — were dropped.

Though Hadnott was sentenced to four years in prison, he will only serve a maximum of three years, with the fourth year of the sentence suspended under a pretrial agreement, the Marines said in a statement.

Japanese police apprehended Hadnott in February but released him after the girl dropped charges. U.S. authorities then investigated the case under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Hadnott’s Feb. 11 arrest — as well as a series of other damaging criminal accusations against American troops — worsened resentment at the U.S. military presence on the southern island.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_marinerapecase_051608/