Ex-US Army officer shared classified Russia-Ukraine war information on dating site
David Slater had top-secret clearance at a civilian US Air Force job. He pleaded guilty to leaking secrets and faces over 7 years in jail
A retired US Army officer who worked as a civilian for the Air Force has pleaded guilty to conspiring to send classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform.
David Slater, 64, who had top-secret clearance at his job at the US Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, pleaded guilty to a single count before a federal magistrate judge in Omaha on Thursday. In exchange for his guilty plea, two other counts were dropped.
Slater remains free pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for October 8. Prosecutors and his lawyers agreed that he should serve between five years and 10 months and seven years and three months in prison, and the government will recommend a term at the low end of that range. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years behind bars.
US District Judge Brian Buescher will ultimately decide whether to accept the plea agreement and will determine Slater’s sentence.
“I conspired to wilfully communicate national defence information to an unauthorised person,” Slater said in a handwritten note on his petition to change his plea.
Slater had access to some of the country’s most closely held secrets, John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement.
“Access to classified information comes with great responsibility,” said Lesley Woods, the US attorney for Nebraska, said in the same statement.