An appellate court in Russia reduced the jail time for a U.S. soldier accused of stealing and making murder threats in the country.
A judge in the 9th Court of Cassation ruled Monday that Staff Sgt. Gordon Black’s prison sentence would be adjusted from three years and nine months to three years and two months, according to Russian state media Tass.
Black was convicted of stealing over $100 from his girlfriend and threatening to murder her in Russia last year. A Russian court originally sentenced him in June 2024.
The soldier pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder his Russian girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, during a quarrel. However, he admitted to stealing money from her. Tass reported that Vaschuck accused Black of grabbing her by the neck.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s office in Vladivostok said at the time that sentencing had nothing to do with politics, Tass reported.
“This case has no relation to politics or espionage. As far as we understand, a household crime [is suspected] in this case. That is why the Russian Foreign Ministry’s mission in Vladivostok is not following the case of the U.S. citizen closely,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Black, who was deployed to Iraq in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2013, met his Russian girlfriend in South Korea, where he was most recently stationed.
According to the Department of Defense, he failed to obtain authorization from U.S. officials to visit her in Russia.
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“Black did not request official clearance, and DOD did not authorize his travel to China and Russia,” Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told USA Today.
Black’s pay was also suspended by the Pentagon after his arrest in Russia, U.S. officials told Military.com.