Chuck DarwinA Russian-born scientist and research associate at Harvard University
-- who has been held for months in an immigration detention center in Louisiana
-- has been criminally charged with attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the United States.
Federal prosecutors in Boston announced the smuggling charge against
#Kseniia #Petrova, 31,
hours after a federal judge in Vermont heard arguments in a lawsuit she filed alleging that the Trump administration has been unlawfully detaining her.
Petrova's lawyer claims the charges are meritless, and questions the timing of criminal custody
Prior to the criminal case being unsealed, the government had indicated it planned to deport her back to Russia,
despite Petrova stating she feared going back to country or origin after protesting Russia's war in Ukraine.
She was detained at Logan International Airport in Boston on February 16 after a trip to Paris.
Petrova, who worked at Harvard Medical School, has said her boss asked her to bring back frog embryo samples for ongoing experiments.
Federal prosecutors said that upon her arrival, Petrova was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents after her checked duffle bag was flagged for inspection,
revealing biological material.
Such biological products must be declared and require a permit to be brought into the country.
Prosecutors said that Petrova initially denied carrying any biological material in her baggage
before admitting she had biological specimens.
Her visa was then canceled and she was taken into custody by immigration officials