US Musician, Ex-Paratrooper Arrested In Moscow On Drug Charges

Another American has been arrested in Russia and could be detained for “several years” – CNN is reporting. 

Statements from the Russian judiciary have identified that “Travis Michael Leek” (the spelling of his name in English statements produced by Russian media have been disputed – and it’s since been corrected in some Western reports to Leake) was detained Saturday on drug-related charges.

Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction issued a statement on Telegram saying he was arrested after “the Khamovniki District Court of Moscow took a preventive measure against an American citizen.”

He’s said to be a US veteran, specifically a former paratrooper:

“The former paratrooper and musician is accused of engaging in the narcotics business through attracting young people,” the Moscow court statement said.

The district court statement alleged that he “organized the sale of drugs to young people.” He’ll be in custody “until Aug. 6, 2023,” pending possible trial. Specifically he’s accused of selling mephedrone, which has effects commonly described as close to cocaine and MDMA.

Leake has reportedly lived in Russia for many years and is known as a musician and music producer. His family has said he goes by Travis.

The State Department in a statement indicated it is “aware” of Leake’s detention, saying “We are aware of reports of the recent arrest of a US citizen in Moscow.” It added: “When a US citizen is detained overseas, the department pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance.”

Local media reported Leake’s initial statement upon his arrest as follows: “I don’t understand why I’m here. I don’t admit guilt, I don’t believe I could have done what I’m accused of because I don’t know what I’m accused of,” he said.

Washington is likely to see this as part of Russia’s ongoing crackdown on Americans in its territory amid the backdrop of the Ukraine war and ratcheting punitive economic sanctions from the West.

Despite the December prisoner swap involving WNBA star Brittney Griner and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, other Americans which Washington declared ‘unlawfully detained’ are still in Russian detention. 

This includes Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and school teacher Marc Fogel – the latter who was arrested in August 2021 for possessing medical marijuana. Being caught with drugs also tends to get Americans put under immediate suspicion of “smuggling” or intent to distribute by Russian authorities, which appears to be happening in the case of Travis Leake’s detention.

Leake is actually well-known in the Moscow music scene, and appeared on Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” in 2014: 

CNN filmed with Leake in 2014 for an episode of Parts Unknown in Moscow and St Petersburg. Host Anthony Bourdain had personally handpicked Leake to participate in the show.

In the episode, Leake talked about his frustrations with censorship and relayed an incident involving his band and MTV. “This was a documentary series about musicians standing up and risking their lives in some cases, to stand up against government abuse of power, government corruption,” he said. “And yet, a foreign government was able to editorially control what Americans viewers see on their TV screens. That to me is a scandal of epic proportion.”

Darya Tarasova, who had produced the episode, said the “band wasn’t that famous but Travis and his friends had been very vocal about the freedom of speech and state oppression in Russia. “Bourdain really liked that interview,” she said.

Friends of Leake’s have expressed surprise that he chose to stay in Russia even after Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The US has with increased alarm warned Americans to leave Russia.