Russian Court Reduces Sentence for American Convicted of Drug Charges

A Russian court reportedly slashed the sentence of an American who has been held overseas following a drug trafficking conviction. 

The sentence of Robert Woodland was reduced from 12.5 years to 9.5 years on Tuesday, his attorney, Stanislav Kshevitsky, told Reuters. 

It’s unclear why Woodland’s sentence was shortened. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

In July last year, Woodland was convicted of trying to sell drugs when authorities apprehended him with 50 grams of mephedrone, according to prosecutors cited by Reuters.

Robert Woodland was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison in Russia last year after being convicted on a drug charge. (Reuters/Maxim Shemetov)

Woodland remains held in Russia despite a number of recent prisoner releases during the Trump administration. 

After spending over a year wrongfully detained in Russia, Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina was set free earlier this month in a prisoner exchange program.

Karelina received a 12-year sentence in a Russian penal colony after admitting guilt to treason for contributing $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in early 2024.

Ksenia Karelina walks with her fiancé, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, as she arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, on April 10, following her release from Russia. (AP/Alex Brandon)

In February, Trump brought American history teacher Marc Fogel, who had been detained in Russia since 2021, back to the U.S. 

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr, Elizabeth Pritchett and Alex Hogan contributed to this report.