WNBA Star Brittney Griner Seen for the First Time Since Russian Arrest in Undated Mugshot

Brittney Griner's booking photo was reportedly shown during a Russian State TV broadcast on March 5

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Published on March 8, 2022 08:53 PM

Brittney Griner, star basketball player of the Phoenix Mercury, has been seen for the first time since news of her February arrest in Russia broke last week.

The photo, which appeared on Russian State TV on March 5, showed the 31-year-old WNBA star holding up a piece of paper with her name on it while being detained in a Russian police station, according to CNN.

The Russia Federal Customs Service said in a statement on Saturday that the athlete – who, like many professional women's basketball players, plays overseas in Russia during the WNBA offseason – had flown to Moscow from New York in February when a customs service dog at the Sheremetyevo International Airport indicated that drugs were possibly located inside her carry-on bag.

Customs officers searched the bag and allegedly found vape cartridges that contained liquid with hash oil. Griner was later taken into custody.

A criminal case against Griner has been opened, and if convicted of her alleged charges, Russian officials said Griner could be sentenced up to ten years in prison, according to CNN.

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In an Instagram post on Monday, Brittney's wife Cherelle shared a selfie Brittney took with what appeared to be the couple's family. Alongside the image, Cherelle wrote, "We love you babe! People say 'stay busy.' Yet, there's not a task in this world that could keep any of us from wondering if you are safe."

"My heart, our hearts, are all skipping beats every day that goes by without hearing from you," continued Cherelle. "I miss your voice. I miss your presence. You're our person! There are no words to express this pain. I'm hurting, we're hurting. We await the day to love on you as a family."

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The basketball star's detainment and alleged charges come as tensions with U.S. and Russia relations continue to increase amid the country's invasion of its neighboring country of Ukraine.

Details of the fighting change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. More than a million Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.

The invasion, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.