Marine recruiter tried in sex case linked to Novato
Gary Klien

A recruiter for the U.S. Marines is being tried in a military court this week on charges he had sex with new enlistees, including a tryst at a recruiting office in Novato, according to news reports.

Sgt. Brian G. Fukushima, 25, is charged with having sex with several recruits waiting to be sent off to boot camp, according to the Marine Corps Times, a civilian newspaper that covers the service.

Two of the charges stem from the alleged incident in Novato, said Fukushima's defense attorney, William Bruzzo of Santa Ana.

The Marine Corps forbids adultery and sexual relationships between recruiters and pros-pects. Fukushima, who was married at the time, could get 12 months in jail and a discharge if convicted, the Times reported.

Fukushima's court martial began Tuesday at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. One accuser, Pfc. Cody Baeskens, testified that she had sex with Fukushima in January, when she was an 18-year-old recruit.

Baeskens said Fukushima picked her up at a military station in San Jose to drive her home to Willits. After Fukushima stopped at his recruiting office in Novato to do some paperwork, they started to kiss. Baeskens said they then had sex on a sleeping bag in a storage room, according to the Times.

Baeskens also testified that she and two other enlistees stayed overnight in February at the apartment of Fukushima and another Marine recruiter, Francisco Ngayan. Baeskens said she and the recruits drank beer and took prescription painkillers, and one of the other enlistees had sex with Fukushima.

Fukushima lived in Santa Rosa and also worked at a recruiting office in Ukiah at the time of the alleged incidents, according to The Daily Journal of Ukiah.

Fukushima and Ngayan are two of three North Bay-based recruiters who were implicated in the investigation. The other, Joseph Dunzweiler, is also facing court-martial later this month on sexual misconduct allegations.

Ngayan was convicted this summer of misconduct for providing prescription drugs and alcohol to prospective recruits, according to the Times. His rank was reduced and he was ordered to forfeit $2,500 in pay.

All three recruiters were suspended when the allegations came to light, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Fukushima's court martial is expected to conclude this week.

Ellie