U.S. civilian faces Japanese judge on possession charge

[unhappycamper]

U.S. civilian faces Japanese judge on possession charge
By Natasha Lee and Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, April 16, 2008

NAHA, Okinawa — A 42-year-old U.S. civilian faces up to 18 months in a Japanese jail after pleading guilty Monday to inhaling speed.

Manuel Taitano, husband of a civilian Marine base employee, was arrested March 1 by Japanese narcotics officers following a drug raid at the Yomitan home of Satsuki Kawamura, the girlfriend of his friend and supplier, Yuichi Mekaru, 29.

Police said Taitano admitted to heating the stimulant phenylmethyl aminopropane and inhaling the vaporization in Kawamura’s home.

A urine sample later taken by police showed Taitano tested positive for the drug.

Mekaru was being investigated by police after neighbors complained of suspicious activity.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54062