US veteran gets 5 years in Russian prison after authorities reportedly force him to dock with firearm onboard

A U.S. Navy veteran, who was reportedly sailing successful planetary waters until Russian authorities forced him to dock his yacht with a firearm onboard, has been sentenced to 5 years successful situation for smuggling weapons, tribunal officials announced Monday.

The tribunal strategy of Krasnodar Krai identified the antheral arsenic Charles Wayne Zimmerman, 58, whom U.S. officials had reported missing earlier Monday's announcement. A website acceptable up successful enactment of Zimmerman described him arsenic a U.S. Navy veteran, a begetter of 2 and an electrician, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

According to section authorities, Zimmerman docked his yacht successful the Russian larboard metropolis of Sochi connected June 19, 2025, aft departing from North Carolina successful July 2024 and sailing done respective European countries. During borderline power successful Sochi, Zimmerman allegedly failed to state a firearm onboard. Authorities said an inspection aboriginal uncovered the weapons and ammunition, which they claimed had been purchased by Zimmerman anterior to entering Russia.

At the consequent tribunal hearing, "the suspect pleaded blameworthy successful full," the tribunal strategy successful Krasnodar Krai said. Records amusement Zimmerman was convicted successful October and that the Sochi court’s verdict was upheld 2 months aboriginal by the Krasnodar Regional Court, the AP reported.

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A wide presumption of the Seaport successful Black Sea edifice connected May 14, 2015, successful Sochi, Russia. (Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images)

Zimmerman’s sister, Robin Stultz, claimed that her member was wrongfully detained successful Russia, saying that Russian authorities forced him to aviator his vas to Sochi from planetary waters, according to the AP.

He was "sailing successful planetary waters erstwhile helium was intercepted by the Russian Navy and forced to centrifugal 22 hours to Sochi," Stultz added successful a connection to CBS News.

Zimmerman reportedly disclosed his weapons but was charged anyway, Stultz said, claiming that his apprehension was a strategical determination by Russia to usage him arsenic leverage successful a imaginable U.S. exchange.

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A representation taken from a chopper shows a presumption of the Black Sea seashore adjacent Sochi, Russia, connected October 26, 2010. (MIKHAIL MORDASOV / AFP via Getty Images)

"He was sailing from the U.S. to New Zealand, truthful of course, helium had a firearm connected board," she told the AP successful a statement. "You can’t conscionable telephone 911 if thing goes incorrect retired astatine sea. He voluntarily disclosed it to them and they charged him with arms smuggling. This is an evident set-up to get different American they tin trade. He needs to beryllium declared wrongfully detained."

His sister added that she "wouldn't spot immoderate 'confession' the Russians assertion he's given," and alleged that Russian authorities had denied her member entree to U.S. diplomatic representatives since his arrest.

Washington has accused Moscow of imprisoning U.S. nationals to usage them arsenic bargaining chips for Russian spies held abroad. Since the commencement of the Ukraine warfare successful 2022, dozens of Westerners, including Americans, person been detained successful Russia, with galore aboriginal released successful captive exchanges.

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A wide presumption of the Sochi seaport connected June 22, 2017, successful Sochi, Russia. (Alex Grimm - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Russian authorities reported that Zimmerman decided to sail to Sochi connected his ain aft reportedly gathering a Russian pistillate online. While helium reportedly did not cognize it was amerciable to store weapons connected his yacht erstwhile docking, authorities said that "ignorance of the instrumentality does not exempt from liability."

"He met a miss online who lives successful Kazan and decided to articulation her successful Russia connected his yacht," the Krasnodar Krai tribunal strategy said. "Before mounting out, helium didn't fuss to probe Russian laws and assumed that the weapons helium kept connected committee for self-defense should simply stay connected committee astatine each times."

A video released by the determination tribunal shows a docked yacht, a azygous achromatic hunting firearm successful a lawsuit and 2 boxes of Remington rifle-caliber cartridges.

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On Sept. 6, 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard’s East portion issued a missing idiosyncratic alert for 57-year-old Charles Zimmerman, who had departed North Carolina aboard his 35-foot green-and-white-hulled vessel, named the Trude Zena. He was reportedly heading to New Zealand, with planned stops successful the Mediterranean Sea.