A United States soldier has been sentenced to nearly four years in a Russian penal colony for theft.
Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, was arrested in Vladivostok, Russia, and charged with stealing $100 from a woman he was visiting. Black claimed he needed the money for food and a hotel, but returned it the next day.
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An Army spokesperson, Cynthia O. Smith, stated that Black was stationed in South Korea and was supposed to return home to Cavazos, Texas. However, he traveled to Russia through China without permission from the military. Both China and Russia are currently restricted travel destinations according to the Department of Defense Foreign Clearance Guide. The Army informed Black’s family of his arrest after Russian officials contacted the U.S. embassy in Moscow.
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