Moscow — A court in the city of Vladivostok, in Russia's far east, convicted an American soldier on Wednesday arrested earlier this year to three years and nine months in prison on charges of robbery and threats to kill, according to Russian reports.
Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, flew to Vladivostok, a Pacific port city, to see his girlfriend and was arrested after she accused him of stealing from her, according to US officials and Russian authorities.
Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti reported from the courtroom of Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok that the judge also ordered Black to pay 10,000 rubles ($115) in damages. Prosecutors had asked that Black be sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.
He was inside a glass cage in the courtroom during the sentencing.
PAVEL KOROLYOV/AFP via Getty Images
Black's sentence further complicates US relations with Russia, which have been increasingly strained fight in Ukraine keep on.
Russia holds several Americans in its prisons, including a corporate security executive Paul Whelan and reporter for the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich. The US government has designated them as wrongfully detained and has been trying to negotiate for their release.
Others arrested include Travis Leake, a musician who had been living in Russia for years and was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Marc Fogel, a teacher from Moscow who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also on drug charges; and dual nationals Alsu Kurmasheva and Ksenia Khavana.
The US State Department strongly advises US citizens not to travel to Russia.
According to Pentagon policy, service members must obtain clearance for any international travel from a security manager or commander.
The journeys of the black man
The U.S. military said last month that Black had not sought clearance for international travel and was not authorized by the Department of Defense. Given the hostilities in Ukraine and threats to the US and its military, it is highly unlikely that he would have been granted approval.
Black was on leave and in the process of returning to his base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, where he had been stationed at Camp Humphreys with the Eighth Army.
Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said Black signed in to return home and “instead of returning to the continental United States, Black flew from Incheon, Republic of Korea, via China to Vladivostok, Russia, for personal reasons.”
Black's girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, told reporters earlier this month that “it was a simple domestic dispute” during which Black “became aggressive and attacked her.” “Then he stole money from my wallet and I didn't give him permission to do that,” Vashchuk said.
she was not in court on Wednesday, Reuters news agency reported.
US officials have said Black, who is married, met his girlfriend in South Korea.
According to US officials, the Russian woman had been living in South Korea, and last fall she and Black had some sort of domestic dispute or altercation. After that, he left South Korea. It is unclear whether she was forced to leave or what role, if any, South Korean authorities played in the matter.
Reuters says Black has a wife and son in Texas. His wife, Megan, told Reuters last month that he and Vashchuk had a stormy relationship.
Black's mother, Melody Jones, told Reuters that she followed Vashchuk to Russia even though they were “fighting like cats and dogs.”
