Maria Butina, a Russian woman who last July was indicted on charges of conspiracy to influence Americans and acting as an unregistered foreign agent, will be sentenced in a federal court in Washington, D.C. on Friday, bringing her sensational headline-grabbing case to a close, albeit with less dramatics, reports USA Today.
Butina in December pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and agreed to cooperate with U.S. investigators, telling a judge she and former Russian lawmaker Alexander Torshin used their contacts in the National Rifle Association to pursue back channels to American conservatives during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The DOJ accused her of spying for Russia and prosecutors said she was so intent on infiltrating Republican political groups and organizations like the National Rifle Association that she was even willing to offer sex to do so.
But many of the sensational details surrounding her case have crumbled, including the details of exchanging information for sex, and prosecutors have dropped one charge against her as part of a plea deal.
Butina's defense is pushing for time served, but prosecutors say she deserves a two-year prison sentence, though they recommend she be sentenced to 18 months due to her cooperation.
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