'We're Fighting For Trevor's Life': North Texas Family Trying To Get Son Released From Russian Prison
GRANBURY, Texas (CBSDFW.OM) - A Granbury family fighting to get their son released from a Russian prison say they haven't been able to contact him since he was diagnosed with COVID-19 a week ago.
Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine, has been in custody in Russia for nearly two years.
"We're fighting for Trevor's life, to come home so he can continue on with the life he had before," said his mother, Paula Reed. "We don't have a choice."
Trevor Reed is currently serving a nine-year sentence for an alleged drunken altercation with Russian police.
"That's the longest sentence to anyone for that charge in modern Russian history," said Joey Reed, his father.
The Reeds believe the case against Trevor was fabricated, and he's being used as a political pawn. Trevor was in the Marine Corps and served as a presidential guard at Camp David.
"He hasn't done anything except serve his country," Joey Reed said. "That's the only reason he's being held."
Now Trevor is battling COVID-19, which postponed a court hearing for his appeal.
His parents and officers with the U.S. Embassy have been trying to contact him since he was diagnosed, but haven't been able to see him or speak with him a week.
"We don't know if he's getting any medication or not, or they've considered just because they've put him in isolation, that that is the treatment," said Paula Reed. "We don't know. We don't know anything."
It's made their fight to bring him home even more urgent.
The Reeds hope it's something President Biden and President Putin can agree to when they meet in Switzerland for a summit in a few weeks.
The Biden Administration has previously expressed its support for Reed, along with several Texas lawmakers, including Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Michael McCaul, and Rep. August Pfluger.