A U.S. Marine stationed in Japan has been handed a suspended two-year prison sentence for assaulting two Japanese individuals, including a 76-year-old woman. Lance Cpl. Manuel Joshua Gomez, 21, admitted to pushing the elderly woman to the ground and repeatedly punching her in the face during an encounter in the Marifu area of Iwakuni city. The assault, which occurred at around 4 a.m. and was fueled by alcohol, resulted in the woman sustaining a compression fracture of a vertebrae and facial bruises necessitating a month of treatment.
In addition to the assault on the elderly woman, Gomez also attacked a 55-year-old man who attempted to intervene. Despite the severity of the assaults, the court opted to suspend Gomez’s sentence for four years, meaning he will serve no time unless he reoffends in Japan during that period. While acknowledging the gravity of the offenses, the court cited Gomez’s admission of guilt, apology to the victims, expressed intention to compensate them, and lack of prior criminal record as factors influencing the decision to suspend the sentence.
Nevertheless, the court emphasized the dangerous and vicious nature of the assaults, underlining that there were no extenuating circumstances. Maj. Rob Martins, spokesman for the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, expressed respect for the court’s decision and emphasized the Marine Corps’ expectation for service members to uphold community values. Despite the suspended sentence, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible conduct for military personnel stationed abroad.