The sentence of 15 years and 8 months imposed on Peter Dzibinski Debbins, 46, of Gainesville, Virginia, by U.S.
“The world has now observed that Russia successfully placed an espionage recruit within the elite U.S.
Debbins’ relationship with Russian intelligence dates to 1996 and spanned 15 years, Debbins admitted back November when he pleaded guilty to violating the federal Espionage Act.
But he was dishonorably discharged for a security violation, specifically for relocating his wife to Azerbaijan and providing her with a U.S.
In 2008, he traveled to Russia and gave intelligence agents information about old Special Forces unit’s activities in Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Debbins received nominal payments for his information, even though he initially refused an offer of a $1,000 cash payment.
attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, whose office prosecuted the case, said in a statement after the hearing that “the defendant’s brazen disclosures to Russian intelligence agents jeopardized U.S.