A Russian court sentenced a US Army sergeant to nearly four years in prison Wednesday for stealing about $100 from a woman with whom he had a romantic relationship and making death threats against her.
Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was arrested in the Pacific port of Vladivostok last month following a criminal complaint by the woman, who has not been publicly identified by authorities. He had traveled to Russia to visit after completing a secondment in South Korea.
A statement released by a Vladivostok court said Sergeant Black had stolen the money and threatened her life during a domestic dispute. The statement said the theft caused “significant harm” to the woman.
Several Russian criminal lawyers said the sentence was much harsher than a Russian citizen would expect for such charges.
Russian news accounts reported that Sergeant Black had met the woman in South Korea and that the two had frequently posted photos on social media from their time together.
Sergeant Black was about to return home to Texas at the time of his arrest, US officials said at the time. He did not inform his superiors about his trip to Russia, they said.
In previous court appearances, Sergeant Black denied making death threats but pleaded guilty to a number of theft charges. His lawyer told reporters that the sentence would be appealed.
If the sentence is upheld, Sergeant Black will serve his sentence in a low-security penal colony, the court heard.
Sergeant Black is the latest American to be held in Russia in recent years on what US officials say are often trumped-up charges. The high-profile detentions have gnawed at already frayed relations between Russia and the United States, especially in light of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.
Sergeant Black’s conviction comes as Russia prepares to put another American, Evan Gerskovich, on trial on espionage charges. Next Wednesday, a Russian court will hold the first hearing in the trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Mr. Gershovitch behind closed doors.
Mr Gershkovich, 32, was arrested by security agents in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, about 900 miles east of Moscow, more than a year ago. He had worked in Russia as a journalist in various publications for more than five years before his arrest.
The Wall Street Journal and the US government have denied the allegations against him. The State Department has labeled Mr. Gershkowitz “unreasonably detained,” essentially forcing it to work to secure his release.
Alina Lombzina contributed to the report.
