Russia ups jail sentence of US citizen to 10 years for beating prison staff
Share this @internewscast.com

On Wednesday, a Russian regional court extended the prison term for American citizen Robert Gilman after convicting him of a fresh assault on prison personnel.

This latest decision tacks on an additional two years to the former Marine’s sentence, raising it to a total of 10 years, according to a Reuters report.

Gilman is currently incarcerated in the Voronezh region, where the court delivered this recent verdict.

Prosecutors alleged he attacked two guards, and the court determined this incident merited further sentencing.

Robert Gilman Voronezh in court.

With this ruling, Robert Gilman now faces a decade behind bars after the Voronezh court added two years due to the alleged assault on the guards. (REUTERS/Vladimir Lavrov)

Since his initial arrest in 2022, Gilman has seen a pattern of escalating charges, reflecting how his prison term has continued to grow over the years.

Gilman, from Dracut, Massachusetts, was first arrested in January 2022 after passengers on a train reported he was drunk and causing a disturbance.

Robert Gilman behind bars.

The former Marine’s Russian prison sentence keeps growing after a new assault conviction. (REUTERS/Vladimir Lavrov)

Transport police took him off the train in Voronezh, where he was detained for petty hooliganism. 

At the time, Russian media reported that Gilman, who had been traveling between Sochi and Moscow to replace a damaged passport, was heavily intoxicated.

He later claimed in court that he believed his drink had been spiked.

Gilman was convicted in 2022 of assaulting a police officer, initially receiving a sentence of three and a half years. 

At the time, prosecutors recommended four and a half years, of a possible five.

Robert Gilman looking tired in jail.

Gilman’s legal troubles escalated since his 2022 arrest for a train disturbance while he was traveling to replace his passport. (REUTERS/Vladimir Lavrov)

Fox News Digital also reported that Gilman bruised a Russian police officer with a kick while being dragged off of the train.

Gilman’s troubles in custody then increased in 2024 when he was found guilty of attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, assaulting an investigator and beating another guard.

Those convictions brought a sentence of eight years and one month, with Wednesday’s decision pushing the total to a decade.

Robert Gilman in a holding cell in court.

The former U.S. Marine got two more years in a Russian prison for assault. (Vladimir Lavrov/REUTERS)

Local media, including the business newspaper Kommersant, reported that Gilman admitted to some of the assaults, per Reuters.

He said he began breaking prison rules after he was threatened with transfer from his current detention facility, which he described as humane and where he could receive packages from relatives, to a maximum-security penal colony. 

On Wednesday, Gilman apologized in court and explained he preferred to remain in the Voronezh facility.

According to Reuters, Gilman’s lawyer, Irina Brazhnikova, told the state-run TASS news agency that he would not appeal the newest verdict.

Gilman is among at least nine Americans still imprisoned in Russia following multiple high-profile prisoner exchanges in 2024 and 2025. 

Americans released from Russia arrive home.

Former prisoners released by Russia, journalist Evan Gershkovich, right, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, center, and U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, left, smile after landing at Joint Base San Antonio-Kelly Field, Texas, on August 2, 2024.  (Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images)

Several, like Gilman, have U.S. military backgrounds, including Michael Travis Leake and Gordon Black.

Supporters of Gilman in the United States argue he was ill when first detained and was provoked into actions that produced additional charges.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Person threatening to jump freezes 101 Freeway traffic for hours as SWAT and LAPD descend

SWAT and LAPD Respond to Crisis: 101 Freeway Traffic Halted for Hours Amidst Jump Threat

Late Tuesday night, the 101 Freeway through downtown Los Angeles remained closed…
After I-Team exposes scandal of UIC drug test lab in marijuana DUI cases, questions grow over who's holding labs accountable

UIC Drug Lab Scandal Unveiled: Who Ensures Accountability in Marijuana DUI Testing?

CHICAGO (WLS) — A key laboratory previously relied upon by prosecutors for…
California Dems plot to let nurses perform late-term abortions

California Considers Empowering Nurses to Conduct Late-Term Abortions

A contentious bill in California proposing a substantial expansion of abortion providers…
LA's 911 system on brink of collapse as it operates below capacity

LA’s 911 Crisis: Understaffed System Struggles to Keep Up with Demand

Los Angeles first responders are grappling with delays in handling 911 calls…
Defiant James Comey breaks silence on second criminal indictment

James Comey Speaks Out for the First Time on Recent Criminal Charges

In a powerful and defiant response, former FBI Director James Comey addressed…
Unabomber investigator reveals likely breaking point of alleged would-be Trump assassin

Unveiled: The Critical Moment That Drove Alleged Trump Assassin Over the Edge, According to DC Sniper Investigator

TORRANCE, Calif. — A former FBI criminal profiler has weighed in on…
San Francisco home sells for way above asking price in Westwood Highlands neighborhood

San Francisco Home in Westwood Highlands Sells for Impressive Sum Over Asking Price

In a swift real estate transaction, a San Francisco home that was…
Kevin O’Leary calls Mayor Mamdani’s NYC tax plan ‘stupid’ as wealth flees the city

Kevin O’Leary Criticizes NYC Mayor Mamdani’s Tax Plan Amid Wealth Exodus Concerns

In New York City, a renewed effort to increase taxes on affluent…
Pressure on DOJ to prosecute Anthony Fauci grows after adviser indicted—with days left to charge COVID 'lies'

Increased Calls for DOJ to Prosecute Anthony Fauci Amid Adviser Indictment and Looming Deadline for COVID-19 Allegations

WASHINGTON — The recent indictment of David Morens, a former advisor to…
Israel condemns Iran for recruiting terrorists through UK embassy, says regime 'exploits diplomacy to spread violence'

Israel Accuses Iran of Using UK Embassy to Orchestrate Terrorism: A Diplomatic Deception Unveiled

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has issued a condemnation against Iran, following reports…
First full gas tanker exits Strait of Hormuz since Iran war began

First Fully Laden Gas Tanker Successfully Navigates Strait of Hormuz Amid Ongoing Iran Conflict

On Monday, a tanker ship successfully journeyed through the Strait of Hormuz,…
Texas elementary school teacher accused of sexually assaulting child as police search for more victims

Texas Teacher Under Investigation for Child Assault: Authorities Seek Additional Victims

An elementary school teacher from San Antonio, Texas, has been arrested and…