Ex-U.S. guard sentenced for trying to pass secrets to China
Source: Reuters
Ex-U.S. guard sentenced for trying to pass secrets to China
By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON | Tue Mar 5, 2013 12:41pm EST
(Reuters) - A former security guard at a U.S. consulate in China was sentenced to nine years in prison on Tuesday for trying to pass secrets to the Chinese government.
Federal prosecutors had sought to have Bryan Underwood sentenced to nearly twice as much time, but Judge Ellen Huvelle of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia noted that Underwood had not made contact with any Chinese officials, making it unclear how concrete his plans were.
"This is the most half-baked treason I've ever heard of," Huvelle said. Ultimately, "nothing happened."
Underwood already had pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to communicate national security information to a foreign government. The maximum sentence was life in prison and a fine of up to $250,0000.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/05/us-usa-courts-sentencing-idUSBRE9240VR20130305