A Russian court has sentenced an American named as Stephen Hubbard, 72, to almost 7 years in prison for "participating as a mercenary" in the Ukraine war.

Prosecutors claimed that Hubbard, who had been residing in Ukraine since 2014, joined a territorial defense unit in Izyum, Ukraine, during the early stages of the conflict. He was reportedly promised a monthly salary of at least $1,000. His defense team intends to appeal the conviction, according to state media Tass.

Stephen James Hubbard, a native of Big Rapids, Mich., whose family says is an English teacher, was sentenced to six years and 10 months in a penal colony.