US Soldier Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Russian Penal Colony Over Theft and Threats To Kill His Girlfriend
A US soldier was sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony for stealing $113 from his girlfriend and threatening to kill her in a tumultuous affair that led him to the country.
Gordon Black, a 34-year-old US staff sergeant detained in Russia since May 2, received his sentence on Wednesday while standing inside a glass cage in the District Court of Vladivostok.
Black pleaded not guilty to charges of threatening to kill his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, but admitted partial guilt for the theft.
Prosecutors had sought a four-year, eight-month sentence and a $456 fine, while Black’s defense sought acquittal and plans to appeal the verdict.
Black and Vashchuk met in South Korea, where he was assigned to the Eighth Army at Camp Humphreys. Instead of returning to Fort Cavazos in Texas after his tour ended on April 10, Black traveled to Russia to meet Vashchuk. He was arrested upon landing in Vladivostok for allegedly stealing from Vashchuk.
Black's mother, Melody Jones, believes her son was lured to Russia by Vashchuk, describing the trip as a last attempt to see her before returning home. Jones expressed concerns about Black traveling to Russia, citing the government's history of detaining Americans.
Black’s estranged wife, Megan, discovered his relationship with Vashchuk in January 2022, months before initiating divorce proceedings. She described Black's trip to Russia as "ill-advised" and motivated by personal reasons involving an extramarital affair.
The relationship between Black and Vashchuk was volatile, culminating in a violent argument during a video call with Black's 6-year-old daughter, during which Vashchuk allegedly stabbed Black. Vashchuk was absent from the court during Black's sentencing.
The Pentagon stated that Black's trip to Russia violated Army rules. The US State Department advises against all travel to Russia, ranking it as a high-risk destination alongside countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, and Sudan.
Russia currently holds at least a dozen American citizens in jail, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who faces espionage charges in a closed trial. Gershkovich denies the allegations.
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