Russia sentenced former US Marine accused of espionage
Judge Andrei Suvorov sentenced him to prison for espionage and had initially requested an 18-year sentence.
American Paul Whelan has several passports, including Irish, Canadian and British, which raised suspicions from the authorities.
Watch this video to see more about the trial
The Russians allege that he received a USB stick with the list of all active agents of the KGB (Russian Secret Service).
Paul Whelan will be sent to one of the most secured prisons in the entire Soviet country.
Whelan, with a handwritten sheet, asked Donald Trump and the authorities for help and accused that everything is a "judicial farce".
Whelan during his trial. Source: REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
The American's family assures that he went to Moscow for a family wedding.
Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, asked for his release and said that "we will take all possible measures for his release."
This action may cool relations between the two countries, which have been deteriorating for some time through the relationships from their two presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.