A former National Security Agency employee’s trajectory culminated in a near 22-year prison sentence after attempting to sell classified information to an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian official. Jareh Sebastian Dalke, a 32-year-old Army veteran, was handed a 262-month sentence by U.S. District Judge Raymond Moore, who described the punishment as “mercy” given the gravity of the betrayal.
Dalke had taken a calculated step by joining the NSA with the intent to purloin national security secrets, which Judge Moore remarked was “as close to treasonous as you can get.” His actions were not only brazen and deliberate but also marked by the potential to cause exceptionally grave danger to the United States, per FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek.
The espionage charges, to which Dalke pleaded guilty last fall, paint a picture of a man driven by financial desperation and misguided thrills rather than ideological convictions. Defense arguments highlighted Dalke’s traumatic past and mental health issues, including a traumatic brain injury, multiple suicide attempts, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland underscored the severity of the crime, asserting that such betrayal of the country would meet with full accountability.
Over the course of his employment at the NSA as an Information Systems Security Designer, Dalke transmitted excerpts of three classified documents to prove his “legitimate access and willingness to share” to what he thought was a Russian agent. These documents contained highly sensitive information and were labeled Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information.
Dalke sought $85,000 for the information he possessed, a sum comparable to his annual NSA salary, revealing both the depth of his debt and the perceived value of the secrets to Russia. FBI agents arrested Dalke just moments after he transferred additional files at Union Station in Denver, marking the end of his espionage endeavor.
The espionage attempt included a threat assessment of the military offensive capabilities of a third, unnamed country, and details of sensitive U.S. defense capabilities and cryptographic programs. While FBI Director Christopher Wray stated that the rigorous efforts of FBI employees prevented any harm to the United States, the implications of Dalke’s actions serve as a stark warning to those with access to national defense information.
Relevant articles:
– Former NSA Worker Gets Nearly 22 Years in Prison for Selling Secrets to Undercover FBI Agent, Military, 04/30/2024
– Former NSA employee from Colorado sentenced to 21+ years for attempted espionage, CBS Colardo, 04/29/2024
– Ex-NSA employee sentenced to 21 years after selling classified documents to FBI agent posing as Russian agent, New York Post, 04/30/2024
– NSA Employee Who Tried To Spy For Russia Sentenced To 21 Years, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 04/29/2024