Sigma Live

American Sentenced to Five Years in Russia for Illegal Entry with Firearm

Published January 20, 2026, 09:19
American Sentenced to Five Years in Russia for Illegal Entry with Firearm

An American citizen, Charles Wayne Zimmerman, has been sentenced to five years in prison in Russia for illegally entering the country on a yacht, which also contained a firearm. Zimmerman had traveled from the United States to Portugal and then to Russia, intending to meet a woman he had met online. During a search of his yacht, authorities found a Remington rifle and ammunition. Zimmerman claimed he had the weapon for personal safety and was unaware of Russian gun laws. This case comes at a time of heightened tension between Russia and the United States.