An American jailed in Russia for assaulting a police officer has been sentenced to an additional eight years in prison for attacking guards at the correctional facility where he is being held, Russian media reported Wednesday.
Former U.S. Marine and English teacher Robert Gilman had been sentenced to two years in prison in October 2022 after he was found guilty of assaulting a police officer while under the influence of alcohol.
On Wednesday, a judge from the Central District Court of Voronezh handed him an additional eight-year prison sentence on charges stemming from an incident in May, when he was said to have attacked a guard at the facility where he has been serving his initial jail term.
Gilman reportedly pleaded guilty during the trial and expressed remorse for his actions, explaining that he had lashed out at prison guards in an attempt to remain in the Voronezh pre-trial detention center, where he said conditions were better and he could receive letters and packages from family.
His lawyer told state media that he does not plan to appeal the sentence.
According to the Kommersant business newspaper and state media, Gilman still faces additional charges connected to a separate alleged assault of a prison guard. The Central District Court is scheduled to hear that case on Dec. 25, according to state news agency TASS.
Gilman is among nine U.S. citizens jailed in Russia whom the Trump administration is trying to have released, Reuters reported earlier this year.
In November, President Vladimir Putin’s economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev said he had discussed a potential prisoner swap between Russia and the U.S. during a meeting with White House officials the month before.
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