Wendell Brown, a native Detroiter and former star football player at Ball State, has been found guilty of assault in China.
He's been locked up since 2016 after a bar fight. His mom, Antoinette, says he was the one attacked, but he's the one paying for it.
"He's not that type of person he don't belong there .. it's just unfair," she said.
Wendell Brown was sentenced to four years in prison. His mom says he'll get credit for time served, but still has more than two years to go in a prison a world away.
She said it's especially hard for Wendell's 11-year-old son.
"He misses his father.. he needs his father," she said.
Antoinette Brown says she's hopeful the White House can help free her son. She says her son's lawyers are already working on appealing his conviction.
"He's staying strong, but it just hurts that my son was taken away from me," she said.
Action News did reach out to a White House spokesperson to see if they're involved in Wendell Brown's case. We were told they'll get back to us.
