By Lucy Clarke-Billings, BBC News | Citing the investigation, Russian news agency Interfax reported that both Mr Leake and Ms Grabanchuk made four attempts to sell over 40g of mephedrone. “In addition, Leake stored more than 1.6g of mephedrone and 0.54g of pills containing the narcotic drug MDMA at his apartment on Zaporozhskaya Street without the intention of selling them. The drugs were found and seized during operational activities,” the report added.
In June, Russian state television broadcast footage from Mr Leake’s trial that showed him locked in a metal cage.
In a separate video shared online, he said he “didn’t know” why he was detained.
Appearing confused, he said he did not believe he had done what he was accused of, because he did not know what the charges were.
In Russia, only 0.25% of all cases referred to court in 2018 ended with not-guilty verdicts. By comparison, the rate from 2017 to 2018 in UK magistrates’ courts was approximately 15%, rising to 20% at Crown Court level.
Mr Leake is at least the third American detained in Russia in recent years amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow.
A musician and music producer in his early 50’s, Mr Leake was a member of Lovi Noch, meaning catch the night, an “American fronted rock band” based in Moscow. He is reported to have lived in Russia for many years.
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In March, Russian authorities arrested US journalist Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, on espionage charges. He remains in pre-trial detention.
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US marine Paul Whelan is serving a 16-year prison sentence on “spying” charges – he was sentenced before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has weakened relations between US and Russia.
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Read the rest of the article here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c134vmk074lo
Photo: Travis Leake | From his Facebook page
US Citizen Travis Leake Sentenced to 13 Years in Russian Prison
