Former NSA employee pleads guilty to trying to sell secrets to Russia

A former National Security Agency employee pleaded guilty to six counts of attempting to sell classified defense information to Russia.

Colorado man Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 31, worked for the NSA as a Systems Security Designer from June 6, 2022, to July 1, 2022, the Justice Department said Monday.

Dalke admitted that in August and September 2022, he sent parts of three classified documents to a person he believed to be a Russian agent, but that person was actually an FBI employee. In late August, Dalke asked for $85,000 in return for all of the information that he possessed, claiming that it would be valuable for Russia and he could provide more information at a later time.

Dalke transferred five files, four of which contained top-secret information, to the undercover agent, and the "FBI arrested Dalke on Sept. 28, moments after he transmitted the files," prosecutors said.

His sentencing is scheduled for April 2024, and he faces up to life in prison.

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.