Wall Street Journal Reporter From Princeton, NJ, Detained By Russia on Spy Charges

The Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia on Thursday is from Princeton.

Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. The Federal Security Service accused him of trying to obtain classified information. The newspaper denied the allegations.

It is the first time a U.S. correspondent has been detained on spying accusations since the Cold War. The newspaper "vehemently denies" the allegations and seeks his immediate release.

According to Gershkovich's Linkedin account, he attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he was a member of the men's soccer team. He attended Princeton High School and was a member of the Class of 2010, according to his team bio.

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Gershkovich played club soccer for Princeton Union, where he helped to lead the team to the New Jersey State Championship and Region I Semifinals in 2007.

Planet Princeton was first to report Gershkovich being from New Jersey.

Possible long stay in prison

Gershkovich, who covers Russia, Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as a correspondent in The Wall Street Journal’s Moscow bureau, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage.

Prominent lawyers noted that past investigations into espionage cases took a year to 18 months during which time he may be held with little contact with the outside world.

There was no immediate public comment from Washington, although a U.S. official indicated the U.S. government was aware of the situation and awaiting more information from Russia.

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