Anna Fermanova, Comely Russian Expat, Cops Plea In Night Scope Smuggle Case

UPDATE: Fermanova pleaded guilty this afternoon to a single felony count of violating the Arms Export Control Act. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29, and faces between 46-57 months in prison based on federal sentencing guidelines, according to her lawyer.

The comely Russian expat charged with trying to smuggle night vision scopes to Moscow (they were hidden in a pair of Uggs in her luggage) is set today to plead guilty in a deal struck with federal prosecutors.

Anna Fermanova is due in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn this afternoon for a change of plea hearing. In a recent court filing, a federal prosecutor reported that Fermanova, 24, had agreed to waive indictment in favor of the filing of a criminal information against her. The move usually indicates that a defendant has cut a plea deal.

In e-mail messages, Fermanova’s lawyer, Scott Palmer, declined to discuss his client’s plea negotiations, though he confirmed today’s appearance before Magistrate Judge Ramon Reyes.

Fermanova, pictured in the above United States Marshals Service mug shot, was arrested in July on charges that she sought to smuggle three scopes that were not allowed to be exported from the U.S. without approval from the Department of State. Following her bust, Fermanova told TSG in an interview that the government charges were "false allegations."

Since her collar, Fermanova has scored a TV gig in Texas, where she lives with her parents. Additionally, she has provided her growing list of Facebook followers with a steady stream of glamour shots showing her in a bikini, dressed as a bumblebee for Halloween, and enjoying a hookah.