Additional Coverage:
- Retired Army officer pleads guilty to sharing classified info on Russia-Ukraine war on dating site (nbcnews.com)
Former Army Officer Pleads Guilty in Classified Information Leak
Omaha, NE – A retired Army lieutenant colonel has admitted to leaking classified information about the war in Ukraine on a foreign dating site. David Slater, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transmit national defense information to an unauthorized person. Two other counts were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Slater, who held top secret clearance while working as a civilian at Offutt Air Force Base’s U.S. Strategic Command, faces between five years and 10 months and seven years and three months in prison.
Prosecutors intend to recommend a sentence at the lower end of that range. The final decision rests with U.S.
District Judge Brian Buescher, who will sentence Slater on October 8th.
Court documents reveal that Slater, who had access to highly sensitive information, shared classified details about military targets and Russian military capabilities with an individual claiming to be a Ukrainian woman on the dating platform. He admitted knowing this information could be used to harm the United States or benefit a foreign nation.
The plea agreement states Slater obtained the information from top-secret briefings he attended while employed at the base between August 2021 and April 2022. He was arrested in March 2024.
The indictment paints a picture of an online relationship where the unnamed coconspirator frequently requested classified information, referring to Slater with endearments like “my secret informant love” and “my secret agent.” Messages also show the individual asking Slater for insights into potential NATO actions against Russia. Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the coconspirator or the dating platform involved, and it remains unclear whether they were affiliated with Ukraine or Russia.