Overview
- A regional court in Sochi convicted Charles Wayne Zimmerman of illegally transporting weapons and imposed a five-year prison term.
- Russian customs officials said they found a rifle during a June inspection of his yacht after it arrived in the Black Sea resort city.
- The regional courts' press service identified Zimmerman and released images purporting to show the boat, the rifle, and ammunition.
- Officials said Zimmerman stated he traveled to Russia to meet a woman he had contacted online and that he believed keeping the weapon aboard was allowed.
- U.S. authorities did not immediately comment, and reports note he is among a small number of Americans still in Russian custody after recent prisoner exchanges.