One hundred sixty-eight days after Brittney Griner was arrested at an airport outside of Moscow, the WNBA star was found guilty of charges that she tried to smuggle drugs into Russia and was sentenced to nine years as her trial concluded Thursday.
Griner's guilty verdict and sentence were expected, but now that the trial is over, negotiations for her release are expected to accelerate between the Russian and American governments. MORE: Griner found guilty, sentenced to nine years | Timeline Griner was arrested and taken into custody on Feb.
17 on her way to play for Russian club UMMC Ekaterinburg, where she has played during WNBA offseasons since 2014. Customs officials say they discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil.
In early May, the U.S. Department of State declared Griner a wrongful detainee, opening the way for the United States to negotiate her release.