NAHA, Okinawa — A Marine spouse pleaded guilty in Japanese court Wednesday to having marijuana mailed to her at Camp Courtney.
Jessica M. Montgomery, 23, told the court she had her mother send 5.98 grams (about 0.21 ounces) of marijuana from Ohio to her APO address last May.
Japanese customs officials detected the marijuana concealed in a package addressed to Montgomery on May 24 at Camp Kinser before it could be delivered to her at Courtney, according to the indictment.
A Japanese prosecutor recommended a one-year prison term with hard labor, while Montgomery’s lawyer asked the court to suspend the sentence.
Before adjourning the one-hour hearing, Judge Hiroyuki Yoshii admonished Montgomery by saying that living in a foreign country means representing one’s nation. “Your action could not only damage yourself but disgrace your country,” he said.
