U.S. deports Russian in spy probe

WASHINGTON – A 12th Russian whose name surfaced last fall as part of a federal investigation into a Moscow spy network in the United States was deported back to his home country Tuesday after investigators determined that he had not committed any crimes during his nine-month stay here.

Alexey Karetnikov, a 23-year-old Russian citizen who was living in Seattle, was taken into U.S. custody June 28. The FBI’s investigation led to a series of arrests last month in New York, New Jersey and Virginia. On Monday, a federal immigration judge ordered Karetnikov deported.

U.S. officials said Karetnikov “would face criminal and civil penalties if he returned without express U.S. government permission.”

Karetnikov came to the U.S. in October, in contrast to some of the others who arrived here years ago.