The Justice Department recommended an 18-month sentence, which she received, citing “substantial assistance” that Ms. Butina provided.
WASHINGTON — The gun-loving Russian woman who ran a secret operation to influence conservative Americans was sentenced on Friday to 18 months in prison.
The woman, Maria Butina, 30, pleaded guilty late last year to conspiring to act as a foreign agent, admitting that she was part of an organized Russian campaign to create unofficial lines of communication between Russia and influential Republicans. Prosecutors initially described her as a charming operative who traded sex for access to influence powerful conservative circles, including the National Rifle Association, though they later acknowledged being “mistaken” on the salacious aspect of the accusations.
