A Kenyan-born US Naval Academy midshipman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by a military panel after he was found guilty of various offenses, chief among them sexual assault.
Nixon Keago was handed the sentence last Friday during a court martial at the Washington Navy Yard, where he was convicted of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, obstruction of justice, and burglary.
The 25-year-old was also dismissed from the service and sentenced to forfeit all pay and allowances, The Capital Gazette reported.
The charges were in connection with four different incidents involving three women who were Naval Academy midshipmen at the time of the assaults.
The court-martial heard that Keago broke into a victim’s room while she was asleep and assaulted her. He also attacked two other female midshipmen during a Fleet Week cruise in New York.
He later pressured a victim to lie about the circumstances of the case, which is why he was charged with obstruction of justice. Prosecutors said the last incident happened while Keago was aware that he was facing court-martial.
Last month, government expert witness Reneau Kennedy, a psychologist who studies forensic recidivism, told the panel that Keago has a high likelihood of committing repeat offenses.
The court-martial’s seven-member panel convicted Keago in July but the sentencing was delayed for three weeks after he showed Covid-19 symptoms. He has since tested negative.
Keago plans to appeal against his conviction, his sister Nancy Moraa said.
