Anti-Trump federal employee arrested for sharing classified documents

A federal employee who expressed opposition to President Donald Trump is accused of trying to give classified information to a foreign government. According to the Justice Department, 28-year-old Nathan Laatsch was arrested on Thursday, May 29, after an FBI sting operation. 

The DOJ said Laatsch sent an email to a “friendly foreign government” that stated he did not “agree or align with the values of this administration,” and was therefore “willing to share classified information” that he had access to.

Laatsch worked as an IT specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he had top-secret security clearance as a member of the Insider Threat Division. He offered completed intelligence products, unprocessed intelligence and other assorted classified information. 

The Department of Justice said Laatsch started transcribing classified information at his desk at work and offered it to a foreign government that happens to be a U.S. ally. In March, the foreign government told the FBI what Laatsch was up to. 

The FBI started emailing Laatsch and pretending to be the foreign government. Agents confirmed that he had the classified information and was prepared to hand it over. The agents gave Laatsch instructions to drop it off at a park in northern Virginia. He’s accused of placing a flash drive at the drop-off point, which, after review, was shown to contain typed documents marked as secret and top-secret. 

The DOJ also said Laatsch emailed the FBI after the drop, thinking it was the foreign government, and that he was willing to provide more classified information in exchange for citizenship because he did not “expect things here to improve in the long term.” 

Finally, on Thursday, after transcribing more classified documents and sneaking them out of the office by hiding them in his clothing, he did another drop-off, and this time was arrested, authorities said.

Laatsch faces up to 10 years in prison if he’s found guilty. 

Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief

Ella Greene

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