Russian prosecutors asked a judge to jail WNBA player Brittney Griner for nine and 1/2 years on drug charges Thursday, close to the maximum, as talks between Russia and the U.S. on a possible prisoner exchange involving the basketball star remain deadlocked.
Griner, 31, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, pleaded guilty to smuggling last month on charges that carry a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years in Russia, saying her action was unintentional. She was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
Her plight has generated widespread public support in the U.S., where President Joe Biden’s administration has pledged to pursue “every avenue to bring Brittney home.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that the U.S. had made a “substantial” offer to Russia for an exchange involving Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was jailed in 2020 on espionage charges that he denies.
