A U.S. citizen who was arrested in Russia earlier this month on drug smuggling charges has been released and is on his way home to West Virginia, according to his hometown newspaper, the Wheeling News-Register.
Kalob Byers, an epileptic, was detained on Feb. 7 at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport when customs officials allegedly found a “significant amount” of drugs in his baggage. The contraband consisted of cannabis-laced gummies and marmalade which he takes, along with melatonin and Vitamin C gummies, to help with his epileptic seizures.
The 28-year-old spent eight days in a Russian jail, where he was deprived of his medication and suffered multiple grand mal seizures, according to his mother, Tonya Shular. He was facing a prison term of up to 10 years.
Byers was released to the United States Embassy in Russia on Sunday after the family reached out to the Trump administration and local politicians for help.
“We were reaching out to our representatives in Washington to try and get some help from (President Donald Trump),” Shular said. “We received great support from our representatives here in West Virginia and in D.C. We are grateful for all the help and…
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