(NewsWorthy.news) – An Air Force civilian employee has been accused of sharing classified information to someone he met on an online dating site based in a foreign country.
An indictment filed on February 21 alleges that David Slater, 63, who worked at the Nebraska Offutt Air Force Base, sent “secrets” about national defense initiatives to a person via a digital dating platform in 2022. Slater was employed with the base’s United States Strategic Command from August 2021 to April 2022.
He took the civilian job at Offutt after retiring from his role as an Army Lieutenant Colonel. While working on the base, he held a Top Secret clearance, according to the Justice Department.
As detailed in the indictment, the former military official electronically shared national defense information (NDI) that was labeled “SECRET,” opening the door for the classified materials to be used to help a foreign nation and to the detriment of the United States. According to prosecutors, Slater had access to sensitive information related to the war between Russia and Ukraine as he was present at Strategic Command meetings about the conflict.
Slater reportedly shared NDI that he learned through these briefings within the time frame of February and April 2022. The individual to whom the information was given identified as a female who was living in Ukraine. The woman allegedly requested the information from Slater, describing him as her “secret informant love.”
The information requested included some of the military assets held by Russia as well as military targets within the conflict. These details are said to have been shared on March 28 and April 13, 2022.
Slater’s first court date was scheduled for Thursday March 5, when he appeared in the District of Nebraska. The former Army colonel and civilian Air Force employee is facing up to 10 years in federal prison as well as three more years of supervision after his release. He could also be fined a total of $250,000.
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