WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2023) The US authorities have charged Russian citizen Natalia Semenova on drug-related charges and she is facing up to ten years in prison, her lawyer Alexey Tarasov told Sputnik.
Semenova was detained in February 2023 after the authorities conducted a search near the residence she shares with her husband Russell Rothe, who is a US citizen.
"The allegations are such that there allegedly was a marijuana operation in the area," Tarasov said.
Semenova has pleaded not guilty to two charges of marijuana possession, with each carrying a five-year prison penalty, Tarasov said.
She is detained at the Gregg County Jail in Longview, Texas, and a trial in the case is scheduled for early November, he said.
Tarasov expressed concern about his client's health and described the medical care in the US prison as being "very slow."
"Semenova has complained about her teeth, she has dental problems. She also has some chronic issues," he added.
According to local media, the authorities in Texas also detained six other people during the February raid, three of them Russian citizens and three Bolivian citizens.
Law enforcement reportedly seized 1,600 Pounds of marijuana during the raid.
