A military court has issued a verdict against Kolby Mayer, a US soldier serving at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
Investigations revealed approximately 1,175 child sexual abuse images on his laptop and phone. Mayer was found guilty of possessing this content.
He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and demoted.
Captain Joe Strzempko, the prosecutor responsible for military cases at US bases in Okinawa, stated that the verdict was fair and brought justice to the victims. He also emphasized that this sends a strong message that such abuses will not be tolerated.
Mayer was reportedly transferred to the Yokosuka Military Correctional Facility to be moved to a military prison in the United States.
An article on the Army.mil website, affiliated with the US Department of Defense, noted that Mayer served as an advanced operator of the Patriot missile launch station in the artillery regiment at Kadena Air Base.
Complaints About US Military Presence in Okinawa
Okinawa Island has long been a region with a heavy US military presence due to its strategic importance. Although the island accounts for only 0.6% of Japan's land area, it hosts 70.6% of the total land area of US military facilities across the country.
Crimes committed by US soldiers and local personnel working at military facilities have been a longstanding source of complaints among the Okinawan people.