S.C. pastor sentenced to prison in Russia | The State

A Moscow court Monday convicted a South Carolina pastor of smuggling hunting ammunition into Russia and sentenced him to more than three years in prison.

Phillip Miles, pastor of Christ Community Church in Conway, has been in custody since his arrest Feb. 3, several days after arriving in Moscow.

Miles has said he brought the .300-caliber cartridges for a friend who recently had bought a Winchester rifle. He said he did not know bringing such ammunition into Russia was illegal.

Miles’ lawyer, Vladimir Ryakhovsky, said an appeal will be filed within 10 days. Miles will remain in a Moscow jail until the appeal.

The Associated Press