Vladivostok, Russia – A US soldier, Gordon Black, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony after being found guilty of theft and threatening to kill his girlfriend. The 34-year-old US staff sergeant was detained in Vladivostok on charges of stealing from his girlfriend and making threats towards her.
Black, who pleaded not guilty to the charges of threatening to kill his girlfriend, admitted partial guilt to stealing from her. The judge handed down the sentence of “imprisonment of three years and nine months” for both charges, with the prosecution requesting a prison sentence of four years and eight months.
According to reports, Black acknowledged stealing 10,000 roubles from his girlfriend’s purse, stating that there was no intent to harm. The defense lawyer for Black has indicated that they will appeal the verdict in an attempt to challenge the ruling.
The relationship between Black and his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, has been described as tumultuous, with the two having met in South Korea where Black was stationed. Despite having a wife and child in Texas, Black followed Vashchuk to Russia, breaking army rules by traveling to the country without authorization.
Notably, Russia is currently holding at least a dozen American citizens in jail, including individuals like Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich is set to go on trial behind closed doors on charges of espionage, which he vehemently denies, claiming he did not collect secrets for the US CIA. The case highlights the complexities of international legal matters involving foreign nationals.