The Russian judiciary handed down a verdict on Wednesday in the case of American soldier Gordon Black: the 32-year-old, who is in custody in Vladivostok on the Pacific coast on suspicion of theft and threatening to kill his girlfriend, should be sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony.
According to the state news agency RIA, his lawyer plans to appeal the verdict. The Public Prosecution Service had demanded a prison sentence of four years and eight months for the American soldier, who had pleaded guilty a few days ago to partial guilt.
However, he denied threatening to kill his girlfriend. His girlfriend was heavily drunk during an argument with him and hit him. He just grabbed her neck to calm her down. He stole some money from her so he could sleep at the hotel for the night. The 34-year-old soldier was arrested in May.
Pentagon criticizes Black’s trip to Russia
The two met in South Korea. The American had come to Vladivostok to visit her. The Pentagon said Black had not only violated Army regulations by traveling to the Russian city of Vladivostok without authorization before his arrest. The previous transit through China also violated regulations.
Mostly complicated negotiations involving captured American citizens
The detention of American citizens in Russia is in most cases accompanied by complicated negotiations between Moscow and Washington regarding release or exchange. In 2022, American basketball player Brittney Griner was convicted in Russia of drug possession and exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the US.
Former US soldier Paul Whelan has been in custody since late 2018 for alleged espionage. Attempts by US authorities to secure his release have so far been unsuccessful.
Source: Krone
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