A U.S. soldier has been sentenced to nearly four years in a Russian penal colony after being found guilty by a Russian court of stealing money from his girlfriend Alexandra Vashchuk and threatening to kill her. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was sentenced to three years and nine months Wednesday, June 19.
According to Russian media, Black partially admitted guilt to theft charges but not to the threats.
Black began a relationship with Vashchuk in South Korea, where he was stationed. He followed her to Russia after she returned, without military approval. In May, Russian authorities arrested him for criminal misconduct, which involved a physical altercation where he allegedly choked Vashchuk and stole money.
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Black claimed Vashchuk was aggressive and hit him after consuming alcohol. He plans to appeal the verdict.
The judge also ordered black to pay 10,000 rubles (about $115) in damages.
Black’s case is just the latest to go to sentencing in a string of Russian arrests of Americans, including two the U.S. has declared as wrongfully detained: former Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.
[KARAH RUCKER]
A U.S. SOLDIER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO NEARLY FOUR YEARS IN A RUSSIAN PENAL COLONY — AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY BY A RUSSIAN COURT OF STEALING MONEY FROM HIS GIRLFRIEND AND THREATENING TO KILL HER.
ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN MEDIA — ARMY STAFF SERGEANT GORDON BLACK PARTIALLY ADMITTED GUILT TO THEFT CHARGES BUT NOT TO THE THREATS.
BLACK will serve a sentence of THREE YEARS AND NINE MONTHS in the harsh conditions of the colony — where prisoners are forced to perform hard labor.
BLACK’S CASE IS JUST THE LATEST IN A STRING OF RUSSIAN ARRESTS OF AMERICANS —
INCLUDING TWO THE US HAS DECLARED AS WRONGFULLY DETAINED — FORMER MARINE PAUL WHELAN AND WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH.
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