He was found guilty of attempted trafficking of large amounts of illegal drugs as part of an organized group, according to an online statement released by court officials, and sentenced to 12½ years in a maximum-security penal colony. His lawyers told reporters after the verdict was delivered Thursday that they will appeal the ruling because Woodland’s guilt hasn’t been proved.

Lawyer Stanislav Kshevitsky also said that Woodland has been suffering from unspecified mental health issues. He didn’t provide any details, but said that the court didn’t take those issues into account.

Russian media reported that his name matches a U.S. citizen interviewed in 2020 who said he was born in the Perm region in 1991 and adopted by an American couple at age 2. He was arrested in January.

He said he traveled to Russia to find his birth mother and eventually met her on a TV show before deciding to move to Russia. Russian news agency Interfax has cited court officials as saying that Woodland also holds Russian citizenship.

Arrests of Americans in Russia have become increasingly common as relations between Moscow and Washington sink to Cold War lows. Washington accuses Moscow of targeting U.S. citizens and using them as political bargaining chips, but Russian officials insist they all broke the law.

Some have been exchanged for Russians held in the U.S., while for others, the prospects of being released in a swap are less clear.

The U.S. State Department said Thursday that it was aware that a U.S. citizen was sentenced by a Russian court and that the embassy in Moscow was closely monitoring the case. The department, citing privacy issues, said it would have no further comment.

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File # R231830011

Details:

On September 17, 2023, Correctional Deputy Jorge Oceguera-Rocha, a 25-year-old resident of Banning, was arrested on Interstate 10 at County Line Road, in Calimesa, after a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, it was discovered Oceguera-Rocha was in possession of narcotics and was subsequently booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center. Oceguera-Rocha’s charges include possession of narcotics, transportation of narcotics, and possession of a firearm while in possession of narcotics. No additional details will be released at this time as the case is still under investigation.

Correctional Deputy Oceguera-Rocha was hired by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in April of 2019 and was assigned to the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. He has since resigned in lieu of termination.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office condemns any form of illegal activity and remains resolute in its commitment to deterring and preventing such behavior. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office will employ all necessary measures to ensure the highest standards of integrity and professionalism among its personnel.

For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.

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