NEW YORK, November 16 (RIA Novosti) – The defense team of Russian ex-pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, sentenced to 20 years in a US prison for drug trafficking, appealed the guilty verdict, his lawyer said on Friday.
“The appeal stresses that the evidence presented during the trial were not enough to prove Konstantin Yaroshenko’s guilt. The case lacks proof of Yaroshenko’s intent to deliver cocaine to the US,” lawyer Alexei Tarasov said.
Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia along with Nigerian Chigbo Peter Umeh in an undercover operation in May 2010. Shortly after, both were taken to the United States where Umeh was subsequently sentenced to 30 years and Yaroshenko to 20 years behind bars for attempted drugs trafficking.
Two other suspects in the case were acquitted by the jury.
Russia has sought the former pilot’s extradition, but no response came so far.