Yarrrrr! American scallywag caught by the Russkies, sentenced to four long years in the brig. Walk the plank, matey!
2024-06-19
Ahoy mateys! 'Tis said that Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34 winters old, be sentenced by a Russian court to three years and nine moons in the brig for plunderin' and threatenin' to send his fair lass to Davy Jones' locker. Aye, a pirate's life be a treacherous one indeed! Arrr!
An American soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison in Russia for theft and threats of murder charges alleged by his girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk. Black pleaded partially guilty to the theft charge but denied threatening murder. Prosecutors wanted him to serve four years and eight months, while defense lawyers sought his acquittal.Black, who traveled to Vladivostok, Russia, to see his girlfriend, was detained after she accused him of stealing from her. The Pentagon policy requires service members to obtain clearance before traveling internationally, which Black did not seek before his unauthorized trip to Russia.Black's complicated relationship with Russia adds tension to the situation, as he joins other Americans behind bars in the country. The U.S. government is working to negotiate the release of wrongfully detained individuals like Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.Despite the serious nature of the charges, the situation takes on a humorous tone when viewed through the lens of a 17th-century pirate, with Black playing the role of a swashbuckling soldier embroiled in a tempestuous love affair in a faraway land.