American Citizen Sentenced to 12 Years in Russian Prison

(Daily360.com) United States citizen Robert Woodland has been held on drug trafficking charges and sentenced to 13 years in a Russian prison.

Woodland was born in Russia in 1991 and brought to the U.S. by parents who adopted him at the age of two. Woodland also holds Russian citizenship, but he has been detained since January on drug-trafficking charges. Russian state media states that Woodland committed these crimes as part of a larger, organized group.

The U.S. Department of State issued a statement when Woodland was arrested, but has not commented following the sentencing. The department said their number one priority is protecting American citizens in foreign countries. Woodland’s lawyers claim that his guilt has not been proven and they will be appealing the sentence.

Woodland appeared on a Russian TV show in which he reunited with his biological Russian family. After a wonderful experience meeting his family, Woodland decided to stay in the country and has been teaching English at a local school. Woodland’s lawyer said that no drug sales have been tied to his client and the sentence should be overturned.

Russia has been in conflict with Ukraine, while the U.S. has been providing monetary support during the war. Russia has been accused of arresting U.S. citizens to use for negotiations with the U.S. during the ongoing conflict. At least a dozen U.S. citizens are currently being held in Russian prisons.

Meanwhile, Wall Street Journal reporter and U.S. citizen Evan Gershkovich’s trial has recently begun. He has been in prison for a year awaiting trial and has been accused of being a spy. Tucker Carlson interviewed Vladamir Putin in February and encouraged the Russian president to release Evan Gershkovich. Putin indicated he was open to a prison exchange, but so far no negotiations about Gershkovich’s potential release have been reported. If he is found guilty in the closed-door trial, Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison.

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