Brittney Griner had a bit of marijuana on her person when the Russian authorities arrested her, and the Biden administration moved heaven and earth to get her free, ultimately releasing a notorious arms dealer in exchange.
Now, Russia has arrested another American, this one over a gun charge.
The man, a Navy veteran, was just sentenced by the Russian government:
A Russian court has convicted and sentenced an American on charges of illegally transporting weapons, court officials revealed Monday.
Chuck Zimmerman, 58, was handed a 5-year sentence by a court in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi after a firearm was found on his yacht in June, the Krasnodar regional courts' press service said in a statement. Russian authorities found the weapon while inspecting it upon arrival in Sochi, the statement said.
A website set up in support of Zimmerman describes him as a U.S. Navy veteran, a father of two and an electrician. His family has rejected the charges against him as a “set-up” for a future prisoner exchange.
Court records seen by The Associated Press showed that Zimmerman was convicted in October, and the Sochi court verdict was upheld two months later by the Krasnodar regional court.
Zimmerman told the court that he traveled to Russia to meet a woman he had previously contacted online and that he had the gun for self defense, unaware of Russian laws, according to the court’ press service statement. He has fully admitted guilt, the statement said.
Zimmerman's sister said that, of course, he had a gun on the boat, as there's not exactly a police force on the open seas, and claims he was intercepted in international waters with no intention of going to Russia in the first place.
To be sure, Zimmerman isn't going to enjoy his time in a Russian prison, and the idea that this was meant to set up a future prisoner exchange isn't out of the realm of possibility. While Trump isn't President Autopen, the truth is that once you encourage that sort of thing, you're going to have to pay hell to put an end to it. There's no guarantee that the Trump administration will even try to make an exchange, much less be successful if it does.
As for Zimmerman's admission of guilt, though, let's keep in mind that this is Russia. The press there isn't exactly known for honest reporting, especially since they might accidentally fall through a window on the 60th story of some building or something if they don't toe the line.
He may have admitted guilt, or he may not have. Even if he did, we don't know that he did so honestly, or if he was simply trying to play nice to get a lighter sentence.
Regardless, I somehow doubt the Biden administration – or the Kamala Harris administration that, thankfully, isn't a thing – would even bother to try and free him. Free a basketball player with a long grudge against the United States who continues even after the country worked to get her free? Absolutely. A Navy veteran who had the audacity to own a gun, though?
Yeah, I wouldn't see that happening.
Here's hoping the Trump administration feels differently.
