US Soldier Receives Four-Year Sentence in Russian Penal Colony

Gordon Black, a 34-year-old Staff Sergeant, was arrested and subsequently sentenced to three years and nine months in a Russian penal colony. The charges against him stem from an incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he had been romantically involved. According to reports, the girlfriend accused Black of stealing £95 (approximately $100) from her, and threatening to kill her. Black admitted to taking the money but denied making any threats. The incident occurred in Vladivostok, a Pacific port city in Russia, where Black had flown to visit his girlfriend. Prosecutors initially sought a sentence of four years and eight months for Black, but the judge ultimately handed down a slightly shorter sentence.