The Primorsky District Court remanded US military man Gordon Black, who was arrested on charges of theft in Vladivostok, TASS reported. Black's attorney's appeal was dismissed.
„The Court of Appeal ruled: the decision of the Pervomay District Court of Vladivostok dated May 3 regarding Gordon Black is left unchanged, the appeal is not satisfied,” said the president of the court.
Previously, the lawyer filed an appeal against the decision to arrest Black. She disagreed that by remaining free, Black could escape. The accused himself explains in the complaint that he has no intention of fleeing the country and is ready to live with his partner. At the same time at the meeting, he noted that he currently has no money to leave the country.
As the prosecutor stated at the meeting, the court has verified Black's identity information. He arrived on the territory of the Russian Federation with a one-time visa with a limited period of validity. At the same time, his family members - his wife and child - are in the US, so he has no ties in Russia that could keep him in the country.
The investigation accused Black of theft with significant damage (clause “c“, part 2 of article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The accused has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the investigation. Black is a staff sergeant in the US Army. As previously reported by the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Primorsky Krai, he was stationed in the Republic of Korea and, after completing his service, went to Vladivostok to visit a Russian woman with whom he had a romantic relationship.
According to the police in Primorye, a theft report was filed by a local girl known to Black. They met in the Republic of Korea, where she was working. Returning to Vladivostok, the girl continued to communicate with the young man online, but when he arrived in Primorsky Krai, the couple came to a conflict. After Black left, his girlfriend discovered money was missing and called law enforcement for help. The police found the suspect of the theft in one of the hotels in the city. By this time, he had already purchased plane tickets and intended to fly home. Now the man is detained in the investigative custody of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Primorsky Krai.