American Robert Woodland teaching English in Russia handed 12-year jail term over drug charges

An American who had been teaching English in Russia has been handed a 12-year prison sentence in a maximum security penal colony after being convicted of several drug charges, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The prosecution reportedly asked for a 12-year sentence, citing about 50 packages of "substances," RIA reported. The maximum sentence was reportedly 20 years.

The 32-year-old from New York was reportedly detained on drug charges and arraigned in a Moscow court, the court said. It wrote on social media, "On January 6, the Ostankinsky District Court of Moscow ordered Robert Romanov Woodland to be placed in detention for a period of two months, until March 5, 204," as the court added that he was being accused of numerous drug offenses.

According to Woodland's Facebook account, he had been living just outside of Moscow and was also a member of Pro.english, a nonprofit lobbying organization whose goal is to make English the only official language in the U.S. He had worked as an Assistant Professor of English at Angletica, an English language school in Moscow.

It isn't clear the status of Woodland's immigration or citizenship status in Russia, but his family reportedly became worried several months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine about his safety, but he reassured them that he was alright. That was in September 2022.

"For those who are worried about my safety out here in Russia with the current situation and the draft to military service. I'm currently okay. I have not received my letter yet," he posted, adding, "I am not in support of this war, but if my letter to arms comes, I will not turn away. I know this sounds like a stupid choice, but remember.... America had done the same thing back during the Vietnam War...."

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