Russian court orders US pastor charged with smuggling ammunition freed

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Russian court has ordered a US pastor sentenced to 3 years in prison for smuggling hunting ammunition into the country be freed. The Moscow City Court ordered Phillip Miles's sentence to be reduced to 10 months and suspended the six months remaining on his sentence. The decision means Miles could be freed as early as Tuesday and can leave Russia. Miles, who listened to the decision via video from jail, spread his arms and said "Hallelujah!" as the translator explained the decision Monday. The South Carolina preacher was convicted in April for bringing the .300-caliber cartridges for a Russian friend who had recently bought a Winchester rifle. He has repeatedly apologized and said he did not know bringing such ammunition into Russia was illegal.