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US Marine accused of killing woman arrested in Japan: 5 times American Marines landed in trouble in foreign countries
20-year-old Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, arrested at the Futenma Air Station, is being accused of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi.
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A US Marine in Japan’s Okinawa was arrested, allegedly for robbing and killing a woman. The local police arrested 20-year-old Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard at Futenma Air Station. He is accused of strangling 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture. In addition, he is also accused of stealing her wallet and backpack.
While the Okinawa case remains under active investigation, it is not the first time American service members have found themselves in major trouble with foreign authorities.
‘Drunken brawl’ in Thailand
Earlier this month, two sailors were sent back to the USS Abraham Lincoln after they were caught in a drunken brawl in Thailand. The police got involved when locals called the authorities to report that two US service members were involved in a physical altercation near a town bar at 1:30 am.
The police broke the flight and brought the Americans to the US-Thailand joint operations centre. Later, they were transferred back to the aircraft carrier. The local police reportedly said that it was a “minor” incident.
Robert Gilman in Russia
Robert Gilman, an ex-US Marine, was arrested in Russia in 2022 for allegedly kicking a police officer while drunk. His father, however, claimed that the charges were false. He claimed that his son fell ill and accidentally kicked the cop.
Four years after his arrest, he was released by Moscow in August 2026 on a "humanitarian basis". US President Donald Trump posted about the incident on Truth Social. He wrote, “After my discussions with President Vladimir Putin, Russia has agreed to release him, very much on a Humanitarian Basis.”
Marine who was imprisoned under Maduro's rule
Matthew Heath is a US Marine who was jailed for two years under the rule of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was accused of being a spy and entering Venezuela illegally. He was arrested in 2020 and released in October 2022 as part of a high-profile prisoner swap.
"I was tortured. They handcuffed me to the frame of metal bed and electrocuted me with a car battery and jumper cables," he told CBS News. "It's not exactly polite conversation but I can tell you that's just the tip of the iceberg."
A former US Marine who was called a spy
Paul Whelan was arrested by Russia's FSB state security agency. It claimed that the former US Marine was "caught spying" in Moscow. Originally, he was given a 16-year jail sentence in 2020 but was released in 2024 as part of a prisoner swap.
Marine jailed in the Philippines
Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton served about six years of his 10-year sentence after being convicted of killing a transgender woman in the Philippines in 2014. He killed 26-year-old transgender woman Jennifer Laude in a hotel room. In October 2014, the naked body of Laude, with her head in the toilet, was found in an Olongapo hotel room. Pemberton was convicted in 2015.
In 2020, he was granted an “absolute pardon” by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. At that time, the pardoning sparked outrage across the country as people alleged preferential treatment of American military personnel.
