American soldier sentenced to 4 years in prison in Russia for theft and threats – Firstpost

A United States soldier was sentenced Wednesday to nearly four years in prison Russian penal colony after being found guilty by a RussiaIn court, he stole $113 from his girlfriend and threatened to kill her, a Reuters witness said in the courtroom.

Judgment ends a stormWe love story that brought together – then tore apart – a married American staff sergeant and a Russian wife after an international romance that spanned from South Korea to Russia.

Gordon Black, a 34-year-old US staff sergeant, was arrested on May 2 in Russiain Vladivostok, in the far east of the country, after an argument with his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, whom he had met in South Korea.

Judge Yelena Stepankova of Vladivostok's Pervomaisky District Court found Black guilty of stealing 10,000 rubles ($113) from her purse and threatening to kill her.

Black, standing in a glass cage in the courtroom, was sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russiain a penal colony and ordered to repay the 10,000 rubles.

He pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill her, but admitted he was partly to blame for taking the money, albeit out of necessity. His lawyer will appeal the verdict.

Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of four years and eight months, while the defense asked that Black be acquitted of all charges.

Vashchuk did not appear in court on Wednesday.

In April, Black left the Eighth Army at Camp Humphreys in the Republic of South Korea for a permanent change of station to return to Fort Cavazos in Texas, but instead flew to China, then to Russia meet Vashchuk.

The Pentagon said he broke army rules by going to Russia and China without authorization.

Black has a wife and child in Texas. His wife Megan told Reuters last month that he and Vashchuk had had a storm.We relationship.

Black's mother, Melody Jones, told Reuters that he followed his girlfriend to Russia even if they “fought like cats and dogs”.

Russia is holding at least a dozen American citizens in prison, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who will be tried behind closed doors on espionage charges next week. Gershkovich has denied accusations of collecting secrets on behalf of the US CIA.

The US Department of State advises against travel to Russiawhich it classifies as maximum danger alongside countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iran and Sudan.