Spy swap

VIENNA, July 9 (UPI) -- Ten people swept up in a three-state espionage investigation were deported from the United States to be exchanged for four people convicted in Russia of spying.

The 10 were arrested in Massachusetts, New York and Virginia less than two weeks ago in what the FBI said was a years-long investigation. The suspects were allegedly sent to the United States as "sleeper" agents to make contact with policy makers.

They all pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in New York to conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent for a foreign country, were sentenced to time served and ordered deported. By Friday morning they were in Austria where Russia sent four people as its part of the spy swap.

The people handed over by Russia had been convicted of spying for the United States and United Kingdom.

The quickness of the deal between Moscow and Washington was seen as an attempt keep relations on a solid level. It wasn't known whether Russia having at least 10 people operating in the United States under deep cover would affect the Obama administration's hopes to "reset" relations with Russia.

A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry read: "This action was carried out in the overall context of improved Russian-American relations. This agreement gives reason to hope that the course agreed upon by Russia and the United States will be accordingly realized in practice and that attempts to derail the course will not succeed."