Lance Cpl. Helder Molina, of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, received a suspended sentence Friday, July 7, 2023, for car theft and drunken driving. (Pixabay)
A Marine stationed at an air base in Japan received a suspended sentence in a Japanese court Friday for car theft and drunken driving in April.
Lance Cpl. Helder Molina, 30, assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, was sentenced by Judge Soshi Okada to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, a spokesman for Yamaguchi District Court told Stars and Stripes by phone Friday.
Molina at a hearing June 28 pleaded guilty to car theft and driving under the influence. He still faces disciplinary action from the Marine Corps, according to a statement from MCAS Iwakuni.
“The United States Marine Corps takes these matters seriously and the service member and his command have cooperated fully with Japanese authorities throughout this process,” said an email Friday from the office of base spokesman Maj. Gerard Farao.
“Now that the Japanese case is complete, the Marine Corps will take appropriate further action against Lance Corporal Molina in accordance with U.S. laws. We take all allegations of wrongdoing seriously and expect all our service members to show respect to the local community.”
Japanese police arrested Molina on April 2 in a car reported stolen, Iwakuni Police said April 4.
Molina drank about 10 bottles of beer at bars on and off base between 8 p.m. April 1 and 5 a.m. the next day, the prosecutors said in court June 28, according to media reports. Then he got into a parked car with its engine running and drove off, crashing into another car and a wall.
The prosecutor recommended 18 months for the “selfish crime.” Molina’s defense attorney asked for a suspended sentence, saying the Marine regrets his actions and intends to pay damages.
Another Iwakuni-based Marine, Lance Cpl. Dominic Youngren, received a suspended sentence in June for stealing a car from a local dealer, driving drunk and crashing into another vehicle at a stop light, injuring two people.
Stars and Stripes reporter Joseph Ditzler contributed to this report.
