Religious News - U.S. pastor to be freed from Russian jail

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U.S. pastor to be freed from Russian jail

A U.S. pastor is to soon be released from a Russian prison after the Moscow City Court reduced his prison term for illegally taking ammunition into Russia.

Attorneys for Phillip Miles successfully argued their client lacked criminal intent when he took rifle rounds -- declarable under Russian customs law -- into the country for his Russian hunting partner, reported RIA Novosti, the Russian news agency.

The Moscow City Court changed Miles' sentence from three years to a 10-month suspended sentence.

"Documents for his release will be sent to the detention center and Miles will be released (Monday) or (Tuesday)," the presiding judge said.

Miles, pastor of Christ Community Church in Conway, S.C., was caught with a box of 20 300-caliber rifle cartridges after landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport Jan 29. He said the ammunition was for a type of Winchester rifle belonging to a friend living in Perm, RIA Novosti. The men are avid hunters.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.

This news arrived on: 06/23/2008

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