2 more U.S. Marines arrested in Okinawa

More crimes were committed by U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa soon after the Japanese and U.S. governments promised to tighten U.S. military discipline following a U.S. Marine’s rape of a schoolgirl.

Corporal Shawn Cowdy Jake, 21, was arrested at the scene for trespassing on February 18. A 54-year-old woman found the 21-year-old Marine asleep inside her house in Nago City at about 4:25 a.m. and called the police.

The police said the arrested corporal stationed at Camp Schwab broke into the house and fell asleep on the sofa. He reportedly told the police that he had been drunk and that he did not remember anything about what he had been doing.

On February 17, another U.S. Marine, Tony Alexander Garcia, 22, who is stationed at Camp Foster, Okinawa, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

Following the arrest of a U.S. Marine on suspicion of raping a schoolgirl on February 11 in Chatan Town, Okinawa, the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa promised to tighten military discipline and carried out a special education program for U.S. marines on February 14 and 15.
- Akahata, February 19, 2008