MOSCOW, Russia: An American soldier, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, was convicted of theft and making threats of murder by a court in Vladivostok, Russia, and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison on June 19.

Black, 34, had traveled to the Pacific port city to visit his girlfriend but was arrested after she accused him of stealing from her, according to both U.S. officials and Russian authorities. The judge at Pervomaisky District Court also ordered Black to pay 10,000 rubles (approximately US$115) in damages. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of four years and eight months.

This incident occurs amidst heightened tensions over Russia's detention of American journalists and other U.S. nationals against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. government has been working to secure the release of several Americans held in Russia, including corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, both designated as wrongfully detained.

Other detained Americans include musician Travis Leake, arrested on drug-related charges, and teacher Marc Fogel, sentenced to 14 years in prison also on drug charges, as well as dual nationals Alsu Kurmasheva and Ksenia Khavana.

The U.S. State Department has strongly advised American citizens against traveling to Russia.

Black, who was on leave, was returning to his home base at Fort Cavazos, Texas, from South Korea, where he had been stationed at Camp Humphreys with the Eighth Army. According to Army spokesperson Cynthia Smith, Black deviated from his planned return, flying from South Korea to Russia via China for personal reasons without the necessary travel clearance from his security manager or commander. Such authorization is required under Pentagon policy, especially given current geopolitical tensions.

Black's girlfriend, Alexandra Vashchuk, had previously described the incident as a "simple domestic dispute" during which Black allegedly became aggressive, attacked her, and took money from her wallet without permission. She later told Russian news outlet Gazeta.ru that she found the sentence "quite humane" and described Black as "violent and unable to control himself."

U.S. officials reported that Black, who is married, met Vashchuk in South Korea, where she had lived before leaving after a domestic altercation with Black last fall. It remains unclear whether South Korean authorities were involved in her departure.