LaLota Visits Navy LT Ridge Alkonis in Prison, Calls for His Immediate Release
LOS ANGELES, CA - Today, New York First Congressional District Representative Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County), a Navy Veteran and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after he and Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) visited Navy LT Ridge Alkonis in the Metropolitan Detention Center, Los Angeles:
“Having visited with LT Alkonis in a federal detention center in Los Angeles today, I am pleased to report that his transfer to U.S. custody has been properly executed by the Bureau of Prisons and the Lieutenant is being treated as fairly as a prisoner can be. Rep. Levin (CA-49) and I were able to meet with LT Alkonis for about 60 minutes and we were impressed by his mental strength and resilience. But make no mistake, despite being back in the United States, Lieutenant Alkonis is still a prisoner, separated every day and night from his family by cement, steel, and barbed wire while serving much more time than if he was found guilty of the same “crime” in the United States," said LaLota. "Unlike when LT Alkonis was in a Japanese prison, each day the Lieutenant wakes up in an American prison is a day the country he faithfully served for 15 years chooses to imprison him beyond the sentence any other American would receive. The President deserves credit for getting LT Alkonis out of a Japanese prison. Now, he must finish the job and exercise his clemency power and give LT Alkonis his freedom back and properly reunite him with his family— before Christmas. Doing so would provide a small amount of justice to the Alkonis family and would help to rebuild confidence among our service members stationed overseas who may one day be accused of a crime by a friendly foreign nation.”
Reps. LaLota and Levin with Brittany Alkonis
Background:
Since being sworn into office in January, LaLota has consistently called for the release of U.S. Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis. In May, LaLota introduced the Safeguarding Our Forces Abroad (SOFA) Act, which would require the Secretary of Defense, at a rate of one percent per month, to reduce the number of Armed Forces stationed in a “covered nation” where a binding and enforceable Status of Forces Agreement is not in place.
Alkonis, who was stationed in Japan, was sentenced to three years in a Japanese prison in October 2021 for negligent driving resulting in the death of two people and injuries to a third person in May 2021. He said he suffered from acute mountain sickness as he was driving with his family from Mount Fuji, which caused him to lose consciousness. That argument was rejected by the court. His appeal was denied in July 2022.
Alkonis’ family argued he was ill, not negligent, and therefore committed no crime. They have also noted that they offered the victims’ families over $1 million in restitution, as is customary in Japan.
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