Panetta: Marines were punished for prostitute attack in prior incident

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday that three
Marines had been disciplined for an incident in December involving a prostitute
in Brasilia.

The Marines were removed from Brazil and had their ranks
reduced after allegedly pushing a prostitute out of a car in a dispute over
payment, Panetta told reporters, according to The Associated
Press.

{mosads}Panetta discussed the prior prostitution punishment in
Brasilia amid an investigation of 12 members of the U.S. military, who face
allegations, along with Secret Service agents, in a prostitution incident in
Cartagena, Colombia, that occurred ahead of the president’s visit earlier this
month.

Panetta said Tuesday he had “no tolerance for that kind of
conduct,” according to the AP.

“Where it takes place you can be sure that we will act
to make sure that they are punished and that that kind of behavior is not
acceptable,” Panetta said.

The Secret Service confirmed Tuesday that another
three agents were leaving as a result of the scandal, bringing the total to
six agents.

The military has
suspended the security clearances of the U.S. service members under
investigation, but that investigation is still ongoing, and no disciplinary
actions have taken place yet.

In the prostitution case in Brazil, the woman involved broke
her collarbone when she was pushed from the car, the AP reported. The embassy tracked
her down and paid her medical expenses, but she has since hired an attorney and
is suing the embassy in the wake of the Colombian scandal, according to the AP.