U.S. "deeply troubled" as Russian court upholds ex-Marine Trevor Reed's prison sentence

Moscow — A Moscow court upheld on Monday the nine-year prison sentence previously handed to former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, one of two Americans who U.S. officials say are being held hostage by Russia as bargaining chips for a potential prisoner exchange. Reed, a 29-year-old from Texas, has been detained since a 2019 drunken birthday party in Moscow.

His family said he was initially taken to a police station to sober up, but after being questioned by agents from the FSB, Russia's security service, he was charged with assaulting two police officers. A year later he was found guilty and handed the lengthy sentence. Reed pleaded not guilty and said the harsh sentence made him think his trial was "completely political." His lawyers said it was the harshest sentence ever handed down for the charge in Russia.