A U.S. Marine who spent four years in Russian custody has been released and was headed back to the United States on Tuesday, according to reports.
Robert Gilman, a 32-year-old teacher, had been detained in Russia since 2022 following accusations that he caused a disturbance aboard a train and later assaulted a police officer.
Gilman’s family disputed the case against him, according to the Associated Press, and had been pushing for his release as concerns mounted over his health and treatment while imprisoned.
His legal troubles in Russia intensified during his time behind bars.
In 2025, Gilman’s sentence was extended by another decade after he was found guilty of attacking prison guards.
His family and advocates continued fighting to bring him home, however, pointing to what they described as his deteriorating health while in Russian custody.
Advocates said Gilman suffered serious problems after allegedly being abused in prison, claiming the Marine remained in a “dissociative stupor” for more than a month.
His condition ultimately resulted in Gilman being transferred out of the prison and taken to a civilian hospital for treatment.
According to his advocates, Gilman required a feeding tube while receiving medical care at the hospital. They also said that despite his medical condition, he remained handcuffed to his hospital bed.
Gilman’s detention had stretched across four years by the time news of his release emerged Tuesday.
The Marine was reportedly traveling to a hospital in Texas following his release, marking the end of a years-long effort by his relatives and supporters to secure his return to the United States.
His family thanked President Donald Trump for securing Gilman’s release from Russia.
Gilman’s case dated back to 2022, when Russian authorities accused the American teacher of causing a disturbance while traveling on a train.
He was subsequently accused of beating a police officer, allegations that led to his imprisonment.
His family disputed the case while continuing to advocate on his behalf.
The situation became even more serious in 2025 when Gilman was found guilty of attacking guards while imprisoned and received an additional decade on his sentence.
At the same time, advocates raised increasingly urgent concerns about his physical and mental condition behind bars.
Those concerns centered on allegations that Gilman had been abused while imprisoned and subsequently entered the prolonged “dissociative stupor” described by his advocates.
His hospitalization, use of a feeding tube and advocates’ claims that he remained handcuffed while receiving treatment added to the family’s push to get him out of Russian custody.
After four years, that effort finally resulted in Gilman’s release.
By Tuesday, Gilman was on his way to a Texas hospital as his family celebrated his return and credited Trump with securing his freedom.
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