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A erstwhile NSA supplier was sentenced to 262 months successful situation connected Monday for trying to waste nationalist defense accusation to Russia. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
April 29 (UPI) -- A Colorado man who concisely worked astatine nan National Security Agency was sentenced to astir 22 years successful situation connected Monday aft pleading blameworthy to trying to waste nationalist information accusation to a Russian agent.
Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 32, of Colorado Springs, Colo., was a erstwhile personnel of nan U.S. Army and was hired by nan NSA arsenic a civilian worker successful June of 2022. He discontinue July 1 aft his petition for a nine-month time off of absence was rejected.
Before nan extremity of July, Dalke began emailing pinch a covert FBI supplier posing arsenic a Russian spy. In his plea agreement, Dalke admitted to informing nan supplier that he had "exfiltrated immoderate accusation that is of a very precocious level" and that he was successful financial need.
"There is an opportunity to thief equilibrium scales of nan world while besides tending to my ain needs," he said successful connection pinch nan undercover agent, according to nan plea agreement.
Between August and September of that year, he transmitted excerpts from 3 classified documents to nan supplier to beryllium his legitimacy, and successful move received astir $16,500 successful cryptocurrency. He past requested $85,000 for each nan accusation he had stolen from nan NSA and arranged nan handoff pinch nan purported Russian supplier astatine Union Station successful Downtown Denver connected Sept. 28, 2023.
Prosecutors said that pinch nan usage of a laptop, Dalke transferred to nan supplier 5 files, 4 of which contained Top Secret nationalist defense accusation pinch nan 5th being a missive written successful Russian that read: "I americium very happy to yet supply this accusation to you.
"I look guardant to our relationship and shared benefit. Please fto maine cognize if location are desired documents to find and I will effort erstwhile I return to my main office."
Moments aft nan transportation was complete, agents arrested Dalke.
The judge connected Monday sentenced Dalke to 262 months successful prison, which is nan maximum condemnation prosecutors sought, according to nan plea agreement.
"This defendant, who had sworn an oath to take sides our country, believed he was trading classified nationalist information accusation to a Russian agent, erstwhile successful fact, he was outing himself to nan FBI," Attorney General Merrick Garland said successful a statement.
"This condemnation demonstrates that those who activity to deny our state will beryllium held accountable for their crimes."
