Russian agent Maria Butina waived her right to try to remain in the U.S. after she is sentenced next month, according to court documents.
Butina pleaded guilty last year to failing to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and conspiring with Alexander Torshin, a former Russian government official, to infiltrate conservative American political circles and influence U.S. relations with Russia.
In the filing released Friday, Butina, her lawyers, and U.S. prosecutors jointly asked for a judicial order of removal from the U.S. Butina would then skip the usual Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation process.
Butina said in the filing she does not have any “present fear of persecution” in Russia for cooperating with the U.S. government in her case.
“I further acknowledge that I have not been tortured in, and have no present fear of torture in the Russian federation, the country of my nativity and citizenship,” she said.
Butina has been in the U.S. on a student visa since 2016. She graduated from American University in Washington, D.C.
She faces up to to five years in prison but could receive 0-6 months as part of her plea deal. She was arrested in July and has been in custody ever since. Her lawyer, Robert Driscoll, has said he hopes Butina will receive credit for the time she has already been behind bars and be released.
Butina is scheduled to be sentenced April 26.
