Former Fair Lawn Woman Faces 7 Year Russian Prison Term: Report

FAIR LAWN, NJ – A former Fair Lawn woman faces more than seven years in Russian prison after being found with nine-and-a-half grams of marijuana during a flight layover in Moscow, according to a report.

Naam Issachar, 26, was stopped in April on the way home to Israel from Indian when customs agents found marijuana in her belongings, Fox News reported.

She was initially charged with possession but in May it was upgraded to drug smuggling, Fox News reported. In Russia, being in possession of more than 6 grams of marijuana is considered a criminal offense and she was sentenced last week, the report said.

Israeli officials have pleaded for her release, appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin to pardon Issachar. They have also indicated they believe Russia is using her case as leverage to push for the release of a suspected Russian hacker held by Israel, CBS reported.

Israel is in the process of extraditing the Russian suspect to the U.S.

Shortly after her arrest, a change.org petition was also launched to free Issachar, who attended Fair Lawn High school. Issachar has resided in Israel since she was 16. During that time she also served in the Israeli Defense Force.

Issachar “may languish for years in a Russian jail! She’s losing all hope. Her family is desperate. If President Trump would talk to Putin, it would go a long way towards procuring Naama’s release. Please sign this petition asking President Trump to talk to Putin about releasing Naama,” the petition reads.