Former US Prisoner In Russia Trevor Reed Predicts WNBA's Brittney Griner's Future

Brittney Griner (Instagram @brittneyyevettegriner)

JAKARTA - Last week, Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison for bringing marijuana oil on a trip to Russia. This incident made headlines around the world.

However, the WNBA star isn't the first American to get into trouble in Russia. Trevor Reed found himself in a similar position in the past.

Reed was released earlier this year after being held in Russia for nearly three years. To that end, he gave his views on the situation Griner was in.

"Regardless of how you feel about the Brittney Griner case, the sentence is clearly political", Reed told CNN quoted by Marca on Monday.

"That's undeniable."

Former US Navy officer Reed was arrested in Russia in 2019 on charges of endangering the "life and health" of police officers in an altercation. He has always denied the charges.

He was also sentenced to nine years in prison, but was released in a prisoner swap this year and returned to the United States in April.

"Once you are found guilty in a Russian court, you have the opportunity to appeal, and appeal the decision to another court in Moscow", Reed explained.

"So after that trial, you know, depending on Brittney's decision whether she wants to appeal or not, she can stay in Moscow in the detention facility she's been in until her appeal is over.

"Or if he chooses not to appeal, they may transfer him to a labor camp.

"Because the Russian government is considering swapping it out, they might as well decide to leave it in Moscow to make it easier for it to be returned to the United States."

There has been interesting from the United States government in arranging a prisoner swap between Paul Whelan and Griner and a Russian arms trafficking accused Viktor Bout.