Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, flew to Vladivostok, a Pacific port metropolis, to see his girlfriend and was arrested after she accused him of stealing from her, based on U.S. officers and Russian authorities.
Russian state information businesses Tass and RIA Novosti reported from the courtroom within the Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok that the decide additionally ordered Black to pay 10,000 rubles ($115) in damages. Prosecutors had requested for Black to be sentenced to 4 years and eight months in jail.
He was in a glass cage within the courtroom throughout the sentencing.
PAVEL KOROLYOV / AFP through Getty Images
Black’s sentencing additional complicates U.S. relations with Russia, which have grown more and more tense because the preventing in Ukraine continues.
Russia is holding quite a lot of Americans in its jails, together with company safety government Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The U.S. authorities has designated each as wrongfully detained and has been making an attempt to barter for his or her launch.
Others detained embrace Travis Leake, a musician who had been dwelling in Russia for years and was arrested final yr on drug-related costs; Marc Fogel, a trainer in Moscow who was sentenced to 14 years in jail, additionally on drug costs; and twin nationals Alsu Kurmasheva and Ksenia Khavana.
The U.S. State Department strongly advises American residents to not go to Russia.
Under Pentagon coverage, service members should get clearance for any worldwide journey from a safety supervisor or commander.
Black’s travels
The U.S. Army stated final month that Black hadn’t sought clearance for the worldwide journey and it wasn’t approved by the Defense Department. Given the hostilities in Ukraine and threats to the U.S. and its navy, this can be very unlikely he would have been granted approval.
Black was on go away and within the technique of returning to his house base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, the place he had been stationed at Camp Humphreys with the Eighth Army.
Cynthia Smith, an Army spokesperson, stated Black signed out for his transfer again house and “as an alternative of returning to the continental United States, Black flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, by means of China to Vladivostok, Russia, for private causes.”
Black’s girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, instructed reporters earlier this month “it was a easy home dispute” throughout which Black “turned aggressive and attacked” her. “He then stole cash from my pockets and I did not give him permission to do it,” Vashchuk stated.
she wasn’t in courtroom Wednesday, the Reuters News company reported.
U.S. officers have stated Black, who’s married, met his girlfriend in South Korea.
According to U.S. officers, the Russian lady had lived in South Korea, and final fall she and Black bought into some sort of home dispute or altercation. After that, she left South Korea. It is not clear if she was pressured to go away or what, if any, function South Korean authorities had within the matter.
Reuters says Black has a spouse and youngster in Texas. His spouse, Megan, instructed Reuters final month that he and Vashchuk had a stormy relationship.
Black’s mom, Melody Jones, instructed Reuters he adopted Vashchuk to Russia despite the fact that they “fought like cats and canines.”
