WASHINGTON — A Russian man who became the 12th person taken into custody in the recent spy-ring investigation has been deported from the U.S., the Homeland Security Department said Tuesday.
The government identified the man as Alexey Karetnikov and said he had been ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge.
Federal law enforcement officials say Karetnikov entered the United States in October. Karetnikov admitted he was present in the United States in violation of immigration law and voluntarily agreed to deportation in lieu of further court proceedings, deputy Homeland Security press secretary Matt Chandler said.
Law enforcement officials said the man had no ties to the Russian agents who were arrested on criminal charges June 27 other than that his name came up as part of the same criminal investigation.
To date, investigators have uncovered no evidence the man possessed, retained or passed on sensitive or classified information, said one of the officials.
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 defendant, the ring’s alleged paymaster, has been a fugitive since fleeing from authorities in Cyprus after his release on bail.
