Putin: US 'arbitrary' in sentencing Maria Butina, who claims to be a Russian spy

Ms. Maria Butina. Photo: Reuters

After an emotional plea in court on April 26, Maria Butina, who claimed to be a Russian spy, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a US federal judge.

According to Reuters, Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a sentence that matched the prison term requested by prosecutors, and also agreed to deport Butina back to her country after completing her prison term.

Since the sentence already includes the nine months Butina has already served since her arrest last July, Maria Butina, 30, only has nine more months left to serve.

In a green prison uniform, Ms. Butina expressed remorse for what she had done and begged for mercy from the judge.

"After all the international scandal that my arrest has caused so far, I feel ashamed and embarrassed. My parents taught me the dignity of a good education, how to live according to the law and treat others kindly," Maria Butina told the judge.

"I have three degrees, but now I am a convicted felon, with no job, no money and no freedom," she continued.

Last December, Butina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to act as a foreign agent and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors during the investigation.

Butina admitted to conspiring with a Russian official and two Americans from 2015 until her arrest to infiltrate the National Rifle Association (NRA) - an organization with close ties to American conservatives and Republican politicians, including President Donald Trump - and establish unofficial lines of communication to influence Washington policy in Moscow's favor.

After the US court sentenced Ms. Butina, in Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the sentence against her was "politically motivated", and affirmed that this woman was convicted "only because she is a Russian citizen".

But prosecutors say Butina did not engage in “traditional” espionage, but instead infiltrated conservative American political circles and promoted closer ties between the United States and Russia. She arranged dinners in Washington and New York and attended events to meet prominent politicians.

Alexander Torshin, Deputy Governor of the Russian Central Bank, is the Russian official mentioned in the Butina case. However, Torshin has not been charged.

Butina’s case is separate from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election. However, her activities occurred during the same period as Mueller’s team was investigating possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia.