An American teenager named Audrey Lorber’s 2019 arrest in Russia for marijuana possession has resurfaced on the internet with comparisons to the recent arrest and sentencing of basketball star Brittney Griner.
Recently, Americans are condemning the nine-year sentence given to Brittney Griner, comparing it to Lorber’s arrest. But then, the Pheonix Mercury player was arrested with just 0.70 grams of CBD oil in her vape, while Loeber was caught with 19 grams of prescribed marijuana.
However, it can be attributed to the time the two incidents occurred. Lorber was arrested in 2019 when Donald Trump was the US President and had a good relationship with Vladimir Putin. Griner’s arrest is in 2022 with Joe Biden, who put sanctions bills targeting Russian oil and trade, as the president.
Who Is Audrey Lorber? Staten Island Teen Arrested For Weed Possession
Audrey Lorber is an American woman from Staten Island who was arrested in Russia for marijuana possession in 2019. Her case was a topic of discussion after the recent nine years sentencing that WNBA star Brittney Griner got for cannabis possession.
In July 2019, Audrey and her mother, Rochelle Lorber, were traveling to Russia on a vacation when the former was caught with 19 grams of marijuana by the Russian police.
According to the Moscow District Court of St. Petersburg, Audrey was arrested for attempting to import marijuana purchased in the US into Russia. She had a prescription for medical marijuana in the US and had documents to prove it. However, it was not valid in Russian Federation, according to a statement.
Audrey Lorber Jail Sentence And Charges
Audrey Lorber was jailed in Russia for the possession of marijuana. She was sentenced to around two months in jail and fined 15,000 rubles, equivalent to about $375.
Lorber, a teenager at that time, was charged according to the Russian Law against marijuana possession.
The law’s Russian nickname is translated to “people’s article” due to the number of people jailed for its violation. It was reported that a quarter of all prisoners in Russia are imprisoned for drug-related crimes.
The teenager’s mother, Rachelle, was with her while she was arrested in Russia. They were enjoying a vacation in different cities of the nation. Rachelle’s Facebook contains images of the mother-daughter duo enjoying in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
The Lorbers were enjoying an Ed Sheeran concert in Spartak Moscow stadium and Sleeping Beauty in Bolshi Theatre just days before the arrest. After multiple attempts to free her, Audrey was finally released from a Russian prison in September 2019.
Where Is Audrey Lorber Now?
The current whereabouts of Audrey Lorber are not known. However, she is believed to be safe and sound in the United States.
Lorber was safely released from a Russian prison and brought to the United States back in 2019. She went on to live an everyday life after the incident and even graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA in May 2021.
Rochelle, Audrey’s mother, posted a picture on Facebook congratulating her daughter for her outstanding academic performance. Audrey herself was also active on Facebook as recently as July.
People on Twitter are comparing the arrest of Brittney and Audrey as both were related to drug possession. 31-year-old Griner was convicted of smuggling 0.7 grams of THC, sentenced to 9 years, and fined 1,000,000 rubles.
However, 19-year-old Aubrey Lorber was found guilty of smuggling 17 grams of THC into Russia and was released after two-month detention and fined 15,000 rubles.
People have brought racism and ethnicity as critical factors for the discrimination in the Russian sentencing. Read about Brittney Griner’s ethnicity here: What Is Brittney Griner’s Ethnicity And Religion -Where Is Her Mother Sandra Griner From?