Stephen James Hubbard, a native of Big Rapids, Mich., whose family says is an English teacher, was sentenced to six years and 10 months in a penal colony.
A 72-year-old U.S. citizen, whose family says is an English teacher, was sentenced by a Moscow court Monday to six years and 10 months in a penal colony on charges of serving as a mercenary in Ukraine, becoming the latest in a list of Americans serving time in Russia.
In a statement, the Moscow City Court said that Stephen James Hubbard, a native of Big Rapids, Mich., enlisted with a territorial defense unit in the Ukrainian town of Izium during the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The court said that Mr. Hubbard had been receiving a monthly salary of $1,000.
Russian state news agencies reported last week that Mr. Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charge. They also reported, citing Russian prosecutors, that he was detained after Izium was captured by Russian forces in April 2022 and that he had been provided with training and ammunition to fight for Ukraine. It was not clear why it took more than two years for his case to reach trial.
Mr. Hubbard’s sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, denied the Russian allegations, saying that her brother was “never a mercenary” and had been teaching English abroad. In a post on Facebook, Ms. Hubbard Fox said that Russia “kidnapped” him.
“The Ukrainian military will NOT accept” volunteers older than 60, Ms. Hubbard Fox said in late September in a Facebook post. “Russia knows this but to save face for kidnapping, beating and holding my brother all this time, their courts are charging Stephen James Hubbard anyway.”
Mr. Hubbard’s lawyer told Tass, a Russian state news agency, that Mr. Hubbard planned to appeal the sentence.
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