In late sentencing filing, prosecutors say Maria BUTINA should get 18 months

[MelissaB]

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In late sentencing filing, prosecutors say Maria BUTINA should get 18 months for providing information of "immense" value to Russia about how to access high level Republican officials.

BUTINA submitted dozens of letters from family and associates in Russia pleading for her to avoid jailtime. Her lawyer said she provided "substantial assistance" to investigators and said she's suffered in confinement already and has the stigma of being branded a spy.

Both prosecutors and Butina's lawyer note she's not a "spy" in the classic sense -- she has no intelligence training but was an "access" agent, gaining contacts and information that she sent back to Russian government officials. She expects to be deported after her sentence.

Here, BUTINA's lawyer says she's been compared to the "Red Sparrow" and been unfairly labeled a "Kremlin spy" and stigmatized by prosecutors' earlier suggestion (since disavowed) that she traded sex for access:

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[triron]

1. Sounds good!

[UTUSN]

2. Until the pardon comes through?!1

[OnDoutside]

8. He won't touch a pardon for her....too risky politically.

[shanny]

3. OK that's lame

unless she provided info of "immense value" to us as well.

[manor321]

4. Interesting. That's actually harsher than I thought they would recommend.

[pnwmom]

6. Right. I kept hearing rumors she'd be sentenced to time served. nt

[babylonsister]

5. Good! I'm surprised she's not headed back to mother russia. nt

[triron]

7. Perhaps prosecutors are trying to pry more cooperation from her?