Official: 12th person detained in Russian spy case won’t be charged, will be deported

Official: 12th person detained in Russian spy case

WASHINGTON — The U.S. has detained a 12th person in the Russian spy ring investigation, but doesn’t have enough evidence to charge him with a crime, four federal law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

The officials said the man, a Russian citizen, is being detained on immigration violations and is expected to be deported from the U.S. later in the day.

The name of the 23-year-old individual came up during the course of the FBI’s probe into the Russian spy ring and he entered the United States last October, two of the officials said. All four officials spoke on condition of anonymity about the ongoing matter.

The officials said that the man had been staying in a different part of the United States from the other Russian agents and had no ties to them other than that his name came up as part of the same criminal inquiry.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on the matter on Tuesday.

The Justice Department investigated thoroughly and would have prosecuted the man if authorities had had enough evidence to do so, the officials said.

To date, investigators have uncovered no evidence that the man possessed, retained or passed on sensitive or classified information, said one of the officials.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency had no comment on the deportation arrangements.

In the biggest spy swap since the Cold War, 10 Russian agents who infiltrated suburban America were deported last week in exchange for four people convicted of betraying Moscow to the West. An 11th person has been a fugitive since fleeing authorities in Cyprus following his release on bail.

On Tuesday, the brother of Igor Sutyagin, who is one of the four freed by Russia, told APTN that Igor is staying at a hotel near London. His brother Dmitry said Igor’s only complaints are mild stress and fatigue, that he has stopped seeing a psychologist because he is in good mental condition and that he is not ready to face the news media. Igor Sutyagin has met with British officials, who assured him a British visa is ready and that he should receive it by Wednesday, his brother Dmitry told APTN. Igor Sutyagin told officials who asked him whether he would like to work that he is undecided about his future, Dmitry Sutyagin added.

Igor Sutyagin, an arms control researcher, was jailed in Russia in 2004 on charges of passing information to the CIA.

Hays reported from New York.