Ellen Keelan, center, and other family members rally July 15 outside the White House for the release of Marc Fogel, who has been detained in Russia since August 2021. “He’s just one of the best people that I know. And he doesn’t deserve this. He’s been there for two years now. In my mind, that’s much longer than he deserved to begin with,” Keelan said. Associated Press

Stephanie Scarbrough

Three elected officials from Pennsylvania introduced a bipartisan resolution in both the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday, July 26, calling for the immediate release of Butler native Marc Fogel from a Russian prison.

U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, R-16th and Chris Deluzio, D-17th, and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., were among those who introduced the resolution.

Fogel, 62 — until Friday — had been living and working as a teacher in Russia since 2012. He was detained on a return trip in August 2021 for carrying about one-half ounce of medical marijuana, which was prescribed for chronic pain.