U.S. Sailor Charles Zimmerman Sentenced to Five Years in Russia After Rifle Found on Yacht

Russian authorities say an American man, identified as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, has been sentenced to five years in prison after a rifle was discovered on his yacht when it docked in Sochi last June.

Court Ruling and Official Account

The regional court's press service said Zimmerman was convicted of "illegally transporting and moving firearms," that he "admitted his guilt in full," and that an appeal against the conviction was rejected. The court published a social media slideshow it said showed video of a white sailing vessel and photos of a sniper rifle and ammunition allegedly recovered on board.

Family's Version and Disputed Details

Zimmerman's sister, Robin Stultz, disputes the Russian account. She told U.S. media the yacht was intercepted in international waters, and that Russian authorities forced her brother to motor for about 22 hours to Sochi. She said Zimmerman had voluntarily disclosed the firearm to the authorities and that Russian officials denied him access to U.S. diplomats after his arrest. Stultz has urged the U.S. State Department to designate him as wrongfully detained.

"He was sailing from the U.S. to New Zealand, so of course he had a firearm on board. You can't just call 911 if something goes wrong out at sea," Stultz said. "This is an obvious set-up to get another American they can trade."

Timeline And Additional Context

• The U.S. Coast Guard's Atlantic region issued a missing person alert in September 2024 for a man identified as Charles Zimmerman, 57, who departed Fort Macon, North Carolina, bound for New Zealand on a 35-foot vessel named the Trude Zena. He was last heard from on July 23, 2024.
• Russian media reported the man allegedly smuggled weapons on his private yacht between July 2024 and June 2025, a timeline that is inconsistent with some other reported dates; the court specifically referenced the rifle being found when the yacht docked in Sochi last June.
• U.S. officials have long accused Moscow of detaining American nationals to use as leverage in potential prisoner swaps. Family members and some U.S. lawmakers are pressing the State Department to prioritize Zimmerman's case.

What Remains Unclear

There are unresolved questions about where and how Zimmerman was detained, whether he had meaningful access to consular services, and the exact timeline of events. Russian and family accounts differ on key points, and independent verification of the circumstances has not been publicly released.

Note: This report includes statements from Russian court documents and from the defendant's family. Where sources conflict, the article indicates differences rather than drawing definitive conclusions.