Federal prosecutors want Russian agent and gun rights activist Maria Butina to serve an 18-month sentence.
Butina, 30, who is set to be sentenced by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia next week, conspired with agents of the Russian government to gain influence in the National Rifle Association and within right-wing political circles for Moscow’s gain. She entered the U.S. on a student visa after she was admitted to the School of International Service at American University as a master’s degree student.
After her arrest last July, Butina pleaded guilty to failing to register as an agent of the Russian government.
The prosecutors, who were expected to recommend zero to six months in federal prison after Butina’s cooperation in the investigation, stated in their memo the 18-month recommendation already takes into account the six-month reduction for her plea deal.
“The value of this information to the Russian Federation is immense,” the prosecutors wrote in the memo. “Such operations can cause great damage to our national security by giving covert agents access to our country and powerful individuals who can influence its direction.
“Activities at issue in this case are part of Russia’s broader scheme to acquire information and establish relationships and communication channels that can be exploited to the Russian Federation’s benefit.”
“Had she successfully done so, the risks to the United States would have included harm to this country’s political processes, internal government dealings, and US foreign policy interests,” the prosecutors wrote.
On Friday, Butina’s legal team also submitted a sentencing memo where they insist Butina did not make any action with the intent of harming the U.S. and argues her full cooperation with the investigation should carry weight in the sentencing.
“Maria Butina is a devoted daughter, genuine idealist, and compassionate civil activist,” Butina’s legal team wrote in the memo. “Nearly a year ago, she graduated with a master’s degree from American University with straight A’s and bright career prospects. Now, her world has collapsed because of a decision to help and discuss her amateur diplomacy efforts with a Russian official.”
“She did not infiltrate the NRA. She joined it, as millions have, by filling out an online form and paying a fee. She did not seduce the figures within it or funnel Russian money to it. Nor did anyone else instruct her to do so,” her defense added.
Butina’s defense included a series of letters with their sentencing memo, varying from close family to coworkers and professors, which speak to Butina’s character. The letters revealed a common theme used in Butina’s defense: that if any laws were broken, she acted unknowingly against U.S. law.
In one of the letters, written by her grandmother, Butina is characterized as a well-intentioned but naive young woman who was caught up in thinking about U.S.-Russian diplomacy while studying in Washington.
“In the event that this did happen, then most likely, it was due to ignorance or not fully understanding your country’s laws. Additionally, it might have been youthful naivety entertaining a dream of bringing Russian-American relations closer together (although, I see nothing wrong with that). After all, having majored in ‘Foreign Relations’ might have led Maria to pursue that goal,” Butina’s grandmother wrote.
Butina’s mother also echoes the sentiment, saying her daughter has already paid enough time and suffering for simply not knowing “foreign law.”
“If my daughter did something to break one of your country’s laws, please believe me when I say, that this could have only have happened because of her not knowing the laws of another country. There was no premeditated intent or action on Maria’s part to bring any harm to your country,” Butina’s mother wrote.
