Russian judge sentenced U.S. Army Sergeant Gordon Black for theft and issued a death threat against a Russian woman he visited. The verdict added another American to the list of those detained in Russia.
According to the International Telecommunication Agency, the 34-year-old Black was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison in a court in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. Russian investigators accused Black of choking his girlfriend during an argument, which she believed endangered her life. Additionally, they charged him with stealing 10,000 rubles (about $117) from her in May this year.
Black’s lawyers stated that they will appeal the verdict as Black denies making the threat of death and has partially admitted to the theft charge, claiming he has already returned the money.
The U.S. Army stated that Black flew to Russia for personal reasons in May without official authorization. According to the military, he was supposed to return to the United States from South Korea in April for vacation, but instead of going back, he traveled from Incheon Airport in South Korea, through China, to Vladivostok, Russia.
According to an exclusive report by Reuters on May 12th, Megan Black, the wife of the U.S. soldier stationed in South Korea who was arrested in Russia in May, mentioned that she and her daughter witnessed fights between Gordon and his Russian girlfriend. The Blacks are currently in the process of divorce.
Megan recalled that a few months ago, Gordon suddenly had a video call with their 6-year-old daughter in Texas while he was on a mission in Korea. She described the video as showing a violent altercation between Gordon and his girlfriend, where the situation escalated from a normal conversation to screaming and violence. She saw the girlfriend scratching his face and even pulling out a knife.
She said, “She stabbed him,” and “His face was covered in blood,” leaving their daughter deeply distressed.
Megan met her husband at a bar in Killeen, Texas, near his base at Fort Cavazos, in 2014. Despite his language barrier, she found him charming.
However, things started to deteriorate around 2018, with Gordon initiating divorce proceedings shortly after he went to Korea. At the time of his arrest, the divorce process was still ongoing.
Megan mentioned that neither she nor her daughter was aware of Gordon’s presence in Russia before his arrest. They were waiting for him in Texas as his service in Korea had just ended.
According to Russian authorities, Black is a U.S. Army Sergeant stationed at Camp Humphreys near Seoul, South Korea, and was arrested in Vladivostok on May 2nd, charged with theft following a dispute, and is currently in pre-trial detention.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that this case has no political factors or spy accusations. TASS quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry saying, “As we understand, this is purely a case of common crime.”
The Pentagon mentioned on May 7th that Gordon Black is a retired veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he violated military regulations by flying to Russia without authorization, transiting through China.
According to RIA Novosti, the court confirmed that Black will be detained at least until July 2nd.
Currently detained Americans in Russia include businessman Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich, classified by the U.S. as victims of illegal detention. Additionally, there are dual nationals Alsu Kurmasheva and Ksenia Karelina, the former being a journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty accused of failing to register as a foreign agent, and the latter convicted of treason and detained, reportedly linked to providing charitable donations to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.
(*This article referenced reports from Bloomberg.)