Parents of Trevor Reed, jailed in Russia, protest at the White House

The family of Trevor Reed, a U.S. citizen and former marine who is serving time in Russia, met with President Joe Biden on Wednesday after protesting outside the White House to bring officials' attention to their son's case.

Texas native Reed was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2020 on charges of assaulting police officers after a drunken night out in Moscow a year earlier. Reed's sentence is considered among the harshest handed down for the charge in Russia. Reed has said he has no recollection of the incident and pleaded not guilty.

Biden promised to work to end the "nightmare" of his detention, the White House said.