Daphne Psaledakis & Humeyra Tamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Brittney Griner’s spouse to assure her that securing release for American basketball pro player held in Russia was a priority of the Biden administration. This, a State Department senior official stated Tuesday.

Griner was a twice-olympic gold medalist. He was allegedly found with cannabis-infused vape cartridges at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.

According to the Russian customs, the sentence for the accused offense could be between five and ten years in prison. This month, U.S. State Department stated that the 31-year old was unlawfully detained and assigned diplomats to assist with her release.

According to the official, Blinken informed Cherelle Griner Saturday that the United States was working all day on the case. He is giving his complete attention.

Griner was granted pretrial release by a Russian court Friday, according to Griner’s lawyer.

Washington and Moscow kept their diplomatic channels open despite dire bilateral relations since Russia invaded Ukraine February 24, 2014.

The two sides agreed to a prisoner exchange last month, in which Trevor Reed (a U.S. Marine Veteran) was released from Russia’s prison where he was serving a nine year sentence for assault charges.

Konstantin Yaroshenko was his exchange. Yaroshenko is a Russian pilot currently serving a 20 year sentence in America for drug trafficking convictions.

Russia is still holding Paul Whelan (another U.S. Marine Veteran who was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years for spying)