Moscow – A Court of Appeals at the Far East of Russia reduced the prison sentence for an American soldier convicted of stealing and threats of murder, the state news agency of Russia, Ria Novosti reported.
Staff sergeant. Gordon Black, 34, flew to the Port City of the Pacific of Vladivostok to see his girlfriend and was arrested in May 2024 after she accused him of stealing him, according to US officials and Russian authorities. A month later, a court in Vladivostok condemned him and sentenced him to three years and nine months in prison. Black was also ordered to pay 10,000 rubles ($ 115 at the time) in damage.
Black lost an appeal in a regional court that confirmed his sentence, but the judge in the 9th Cassation Court agreed on Monday to reduce his sentence to three years and two months in prison. Black’s defense had asked the court to absorb him to make threats of murder and reduce the punishment for robbery, according to RIA’s report, a request, according to RIA’s report.
Russia He has imprisoned several Americans In recent years, as tensions between Moscow and the West grew. Some, such as the Corporate Security Executive Paul WhelanWall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich And Master Marc Fogel was appointed by the United States government as detained and unfairly released in prisoners.
Some others remain imprisoned in Russia with drug sentences or assault. They include Robert Gilman72, who was given a sentence of 3 1/2 years after being convicted of assaulting a police officer after a drunk disturbance on a train, and Travis Leake, A musician who was sentenced for drug charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison in July 2024.
Black was permission and in the process of returning to his base of operations in Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, where he had been parked in Camp Humphreys with the eighth army.
The US Army. Uu said that Black signed for its transfer to home and, “instead of returning to the United States, Black flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, through China to Vladivostok, Russia, for personal reasons.”
According to the policy of the Pentagon, the members of the service must obtain authorization for any international trip of a security manager or commander.
The United States Army said last month That Black had not sought such travel authorization and was not authorized by the Department of Defense. Given the hostilities in Ukraine and threats to the United States and their military, it is extremely unlikely to have granted the approval.
Black’s girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, told reporters last year that “it was a simple domestic dispute,” during which Black “became aggressive and attacked it,” stealing money from her wallet. She described Black as “violent and unable to control himself.”
American officials have said that Black, who is married, met Vashchuk in South Korea.
According to US officials, he had lived in South Korea, and the past fall and Black got into some type of dispute or domestic altercation. After that, she left South Korea. It is not clear if he was forced to leave or what, if he has any, the South Korean authorities had in the matter.
