Russian Court Reduces Sentence of U.S. Citizen Robert Woodland

A Russian court reduced U.S. citizen Robert Woodland's jail sentence from 12-1/2 years to 9-1/2 years. Woodland was convicted for attempting to sell drugs in Moscow. Previously adopted by American parents, he returned to Russia as an adult. This follows recent U.S.-Russia prisoner exchanges.

A Russian court has reduced the jail sentence of Robert Woodland, a U.S. citizen convicted of drug trafficking, from 12-1/2 years to 9-1/2 years. His lawyer disclosed the information to Reuters on Tuesday.

Woodland was found guilty in July 2024 for attempting to sell drugs after being caught with 50 grams of mephedrone in Moscow. Prosecutors stated he intended to transport it to a safe cache. His lawyer mentioned that Woodland had partially admitted his guilt, though the reasons for the sentence reduction remain unclear.

Born in Russia, Woodland was adopted by American parents in 1991 and revisited his birth country to meet his biological mother. He is among ten Americans still incarcerated in Russia following a recent prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington. The exchange also included the release of Ksenia Karelina in return for Arthur Petrov.

(With inputs from agencies.)