Russian court sentences American to 5 years on charges of illegally transporting arms

A Russian court has convicted and sentenced an American on charges of illegally transporting weapons

MOSCOW -- A Russian court convicted and sentenced an American on charges of illegally transporting weapons, court officials said Monday.

The U.S. citizen, identified as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, was handed a 5-year sentence by the court in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi after a rifle was found on his yacht in June. Russian customs officials found the weapon while inspecting it upon arrival in Sochi.

The regional courts' press service said in a statement that Zimmerman told the court that he traveled to Russia to meet a woman he had previously contacted online. It added that Zimmerman argued that he had bought the gun for self-defense and was unaware that it wasn't allowed to keep it on his yacht.

There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials.

Zimmerman is one of a few Americans who remain in Russian custody after a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges with the United States in recent years.

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