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US Citizen’s Russian Prison Sentence Climbs to 10 Years After New Assault Conviction
Voronezh, Russia – Robert Gilman, a U.S. citizen and former Marine, has seen his prison sentence in Russia extended once again, bringing his total incarceration to a decade. A regional court in Voronezh found Gilman guilty of a new assault on prison staff, adding two more years to his existing term.
This latest conviction stems from an incident where prosecutors accused Gilman of attacking two prison guards. The court ruled this constituted a new offense, warranting additional punishment. Gilman has been serving his time in the Voronezh region since his initial arrest in 2022.
Gilman’s legal troubles began in January 2022 when he was removed from a train in Voronezh after passengers reported he was drunk and causing a disturbance. At the time, he was traveling between Sochi and Moscow to replace a damaged passport and claimed his drink had been spiked. He was initially detained for petty hooliganism.
His situation escalated significantly when he was convicted in 2022 of assaulting a police officer, receiving a three-and-a-half-year sentence. Reports from the time indicated he had kicked a Russian police officer while being removed from the train.
In 2024, Gilman faced further charges and convictions, including attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, assaulting an investigator, and beating another guard. These convictions led to an eight-year and one-month sentence, which Wednesday’s decision has now extended to a full decade.
Local media, including the business newspaper Kommersant, reported that Gilman admitted to some of the assaults. He stated he began breaking prison rules after being threatened with a transfer from his current facility – which he described as humane and where he could receive packages from relatives – to a maximum-security penal colony. In court on Wednesday, Gilman apologized and expressed his preference to remain in the Voronezh facility.
Gilman’s lawyer, Irina Brazhnikova, informed the state-run TASS news agency that he would not appeal the newest verdict.
Gilman is one of at least nine Americans currently imprisoned in Russia. Several, like Gilman, have U.S. military backgrounds. Supporters in the United States contend that Gilman was unwell when first detained and was provoked into actions that led to the accumulation of additional charges.