Minnesota Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Sexual Assault on U.S. Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan

A Minnesota man who worked at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, was sentenced today to 60 months for sexual assault.  Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger of the District of Minnesota, Acting Executive Assistant Director Charles Warmuth of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s (NCIS) Pacific Operations and Special Agent in Charge Richard T. Thronton of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office made the announcement. 

Ricky Isiah Sherwood, 19, pleaded guilty on Nov. 14, 2014, to sexual assault.  U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery imposed today’s sentence.

In connection with his guilty plea, Sherwood admitted to sexually assaulting a heavily intoxicated minor in a residence on base on Feb. 11, 2014, and to filming parts of the assault using his cellular phone.  At the time of the assault, Sherwood was an employee of Kadena Air Base and a dependent of a member of the U.S. Military.  The Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act gives federal courts jurisdiction over felonies committed abroad by certain persons employed by or accompanying the U.S. Military.

This case was investigated by NCIS and FBI.  This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ann Marie Ursini of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Buzicky of the District of Minnesota.