When he took a detour in the Black Sea, however, Chuck was intercepted by the Russian navy on June 17, 2025, while he was in international waters. Chuck was forced under threat of military action to sail for the Russian Port of Sochi. Upon arrival, the Russian Coast Guard boarded and searched his boat. Chuck voluntarily disclosed that he had a firearm onboard for personal safety, as is common practice among sailors, and turned the weapon over to the authorities. Chuck was ultimately arrested by the Russian FSB for arms smuggling and sentenced to five years in prison. Chuck has been held by Russian authorities since June 19, 2025. An appeal of Chuck’s case is ongoing in Russian courts; however, many similar appeals have been unsuccessful or have increased the time served.
