Reporters covering a U.S. airman’s trial on sexual assault and kidnapping charges wait outside Naha District Court on Okinawa, Dec. 13, 2024. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)

NAHA, Okinawa — A Japanese court sentenced a U.S. airman to five years in prison with hard labor Friday, immediately after convicting him of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl one year ago on Okinawa.

The verdict and sentence concluded one phase of a case that over the summer temporarily upended the relationship between the U.S. military and Okinawa civil authorities.

A three-judge panel found Senior Airman Brennon Richard Edward Washington, 25, of Kadena Air Base, guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the girl after picking her up in a Yomitan park and taking her to his home on Dec. 24, 2023.

Washington sat slumped in the courtroom, gazing at the floor as Presiding Judge Tetsuro Sato rendered the verdict and sentence.

“This is a severe and malicious criminal act toward the victim,” Sato said. “Based on the severity of the circumstances, there are no mitigating factors in this situation. He has no sign of remorse or apology, but we also took into consideration that he had no prior offenses.”

The case against Washington and unrelated charges of attempted sexual assault against Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton unleashed discontent within the Okinawa government and prompted a mass demonstration by Okinawa citizens. It also led U.S. Forces Japan and bases on Okinawa to impose restrictions to curb excessive drinking by U.S. troops across the country.

In the wake of Washington’s March indictment, undisclosed until June, Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki accused Japan’s central government of withholding information from Okinawa prefecture about criminal allegations against U.S. service members.

The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly also called for changes to the status of forces agreement governing the U.S. military population in Japan.

The commander of Kadena’s 18th Wing, Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, said he trusted the court “conducted a proper accounting of these charges.”

“I am deeply troubled by the actions of Senior Airman Brennon Washington and the damage he inflicted on the victim and her family,” he said in a statement the wing issued immediately after the verdict. “We will continue to cooperate with local authorities to ensure the individual completes the sentence mandated by the local court. Sexual assault has no place in the Air Force.”

The girl testified on Aug. 23 that she used English, Japanese and hand gestures to tell Washington she was 15. She testified that Washington at his home kissed her with his tongue, penetrated her with his fingers and his tongue and touched her breast underneath her shirt.

She had to repeat “stop” in English and Japanese several times, she testified.

Washington admitted in court on Aug. 29 that he was intimate with the girl, but with her consent, and that he did not penetrate her. He also testified that he believed the girl was 18.

The court gave credence to the girl’s testimony, some of which was backed up by security cameras in the Yomitan park, Sato said.

The judges also determined that Washington was aware he did not have consent based on the girl’s repeated requests for him to stop. They found that Washington invited the girl into his car with the intention of “acting indecently.”

Washington will have 14 days to appeal the decision.