Russia has released ailing Trevor Reed, ex-Marine from Texas imprisoned on bogus charges

WASHINGTON – Russia has released Trevor Reed, a former Marine from North Texas successfully held hostage after conviction for a a criminal offense that US officers seen as bogus, and struggling not too long ago from tuberculosis in squalid prisons.

The White House and Reeds household introduced the news Wednesday morning.

“Today, we welcome home Trevor Reed and celebrate his return to the family that missed him dearly,” President Joe Biden mentioned in a press release. “Trevor, a former U.S. Marine, is free from Russian detention.”

Reeds mother and father, from Fort Worth, had spend the previous few years urgent the Trump and Biden administrations, typically going months at a time with out with the ability to contact their son.

“I heard in the voices of Trevor’s parents how much they’ve worried about his health and missed his presence,” Biden mentioned. “And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor’s freedom. I’m grateful for the tireless and dedicated work of Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation John Sullivan, and many others across our government to ensure that Trevor came home safely. The negotiations that allowed us to bring Trevor home required difficult decisions that I do not take lightly. His safe return is a testament to the priority my Administration places on bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad. We won’t stop until Paul Whelan and others join Trevor in the loving arms of family and friends.”

Reeds mother and father, Joey and Paula, released this assertion:

“Trevor has been wrongfully detained for a “crime” the U.S. Ambassador to Russia has mentioned “obviously did not occur” and our household has been dwelling a nightmare. Today, our prayers have been answered and Trevor is safely on his manner again to the United States.

For a lot of this ordeal, Jonathan Franks has been at our facet each step of the best way and we might not be right here at this time with out his assist. Aside from our family, nobody has labored more durable or contributed greater than Jon to carry Trevor house. We’re additionally grateful to Montel Williams for his help and for permitting Jon to spend a lot time on Trevor’s case.

“First and foremost, we’d prefer to thank President Biden for his kindness, his consideration, and for making the choice to carry Trevor house.  The President’s motion could have saved Trevor’s life.

We’d additionally prefer to thank Ambassador John Sullivan and the Moscow Embassy employees for believing in Trevor’s innocence and for his or her zealous advocacy.  Similarly, we’d prefer to thank NSA Jake Sullivan, Alexandra Miller (NSC), and Victoria Bonasera (Consular Affairs).  In specific, we wish to thank Roger Carstens’ SPEHA crew, together with Fletcher Schoen, Steven Gillen, and others.  We can’t say sufficient in regards to the significance of the work they do day-after-day for hostages and wrongful detainees. We’d prefer to thank our great Congressman, August Pfluger for his unwavering help, Congressman McCaul, Senator Cornyn, Congresswoman Jackson Lee, Leader McCarthy, Congressman Castro, and so many others who labored collectively in a bipartisan method to carry Trevor house.

We are additionally grateful to Governor Bill Richardson and Mickey Bergman for travelling to Moscow within the hours earlier than the Ukraine warfare broke out in an effort to win Trevor’s launch.

There are so many individuals within the media that we wish to thank for his or her real concern for Trevor’s scenario.  In specific, we’d prefer to thank ABC’s Patrick Reevell and CNN’s Jake Tapper.

While we perceive the curiosity in Trevor’s story – and as quickly as he’s prepared, he’ll inform his personal story, we’d respectfully ask for some privateness whereas we deal with the myriad of well being points introduced on by the squalid circumstances he was subjected to in his Russian gulag.

Finally, we stand proudly with the Whelan household and all the opposite households of wrongfully detained Americans who’re nonetheless ready for their very own launch second. We will proceed to advocate for the speedy launch of hostages and detainees utilizing all instruments obtainable to the United States authorities.