Former NSA worker Jareh Sebastian Dalke was sentenced to 21 years in prison after admitting to attempting to sell classified secrets to Russia. U.S. District Judge Raymond Moore criticized Dalke for his actions, describing them as “treasonous” and a deliberate betrayal of the United States. Prosecutors sought the nearly 22-year sentence, which Moore considered to be an act of mercy for Dalke’s calculated actions to gain employment at the NSA with the intention of selling national security secrets to a Russian agent. Dalke, who worked at the NSA for a month as an Information Systems Security Designer, used an encrypted email account to transmit classified documents to the undercover FBI agent he believed was Russian.
Dalke admitted to sending excerpts of three Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) documents to the FBI agent, whom he thought was a Russian agent, in order to demonstrate his access to sensitive information and willingness to share it. He expressed a desire to cause change and cited personal financial struggles as motivating factors for his actions. While initially paid in cryptocurrency for partial information, he offered to sell the remaining data for $85,000, roughly equivalent to his NSA salary. After transferring all the files to the agent at a Denver train station using a secure digital connection, Dalke was arrested by FBI agents. The sensitive information he sought to provide to Russia included a threat assessment of a third country and descriptions of U.S. defense capabilities.
Despite Dalke’s plea deal and admission of espionage charges, his defense team argued for a more lenient sentence of 14 years due to his traumatic brain injury, history of suicide attempts, and childhood trauma. Dalke stated that he suffered from PTSD, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but denied being motivated by ideology or financial gain. He claimed to feel remorseful and ashamed for his actions, suggesting that he was drawn to the thrill of the activity rather than a deep ideological commitment. Prosecutors highlighted the risk posed by the information Dalke sought to sell and emphasized that he was fully aware of the potential consequences of his actions.
Outside the court, FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek stated that he could not disclose specific details about the classified documents but emphasized the serious nature of Dalke’s actions. While Dalke’s defense team cited his mental health challenges and troubled past as mitigating factors, the judge remained skeptical of his claims, noting the lack of expert opinions or medical records to support his assertions. The 21-year prison sentence handed down by Judge Moore was seen as a stern rebuke to Dalke’s betrayal of national security and attempt to profit from selling classified information to a foreign government.
