U.S. soldiers stationed in Texas are facing allegations of sharing sensitive military information regarding major combat tanks in exchange for Russian citizenship.
Taylor Adam Lee, a 22-year-old soldier, was apprehended on Wednesday for reportedly attempting to communicate defense-related information to foreign adversaries and for trying to export technical data without the required license.
Brigadier General Sean F. Stinchon, who oversees the Army’s anti-intelligence efforts, stated that this arrest serves as a striking reminder of the serious threats confronting the U.S. military.
Federal prosecutors described how Lee sought to relay this information to someone he believed was a Russian intelligence agent in exchange for citizenship in Russia.
While assigned to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Lee had Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, according to the Department of Justice.
In June, he shared online information about the M1A2 Abrams tank, claiming that “the U.S. isn’t pleased with my efforts to expose their vulnerabilities.”
He seemed to take pride in his actions, noting, “In some way, I even volunteered to assist the Russian Federation.”
Lee allegedly handed over an SD card during a meeting in July, believing he was dealing with a representative of the Russian government. The data included documents related to U.S. military armored combat vehicles.
Prosecutors noted that some of the documents contained technical specifications that he was not authorized to disclose. Others were labeled as controlled unclassified information, featuring warnings about their sensitivity. During the meeting, Lee reportedly acknowledged the classified nature of the information on the SD card.
He also talked about delivering certain equipment from the M1A2 Abrams tank to the alleged Russian representatives. On July 31, he is said to have transported what appeared to be hardware to a storage unit in El Paso.
Afterward, he sent a message to someone he thought was associated with the Russian government, stating, “The mission has been accomplished.”
“Today’s arrest serves as a warning to anyone considering betraying the United States, particularly service members committed to safeguarding our nation,” remarked Roman Rozhabski, assistant director of the FBI’s anti-intelligence division. He emphasized that the FBI and its partners are dedicated to protecting Americans and classified information.
Interestingly, Lee’s arrest coincided with an incident at Fort Stewart, Georgia, where a soldier shot five others. Sergeant Quornelius Radford, 28, opened fire in the facility’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area. Fort Stewart officials confirmed that all injured soldiers received immediate medical attention at Winn Army Community Hospital, and Radford was taken into custody.
