Former defense contractor Weldon Marshall, 43, of Sherman, Texas, was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for unlawfully retaining national defense information.
According to court documents, Marshall pleaded guilty on March 5 to the charges. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas made the announcement, after sentencing by U.S. District Judge George Hanks.
The court noted that Marshall’s actions were a breach of trust placed in him by the military. Marshall had access to highly sensitive classified material, including documents describing U.S. nuclear command, control and communications, while serving in the U.S. Navy and working for a military contractor.
Between the early 2000s and his arrest in January 2017, Marshall unlawfully stored classified documents on a compact disc labeled “My Secret TACAMO Stuff” in a house he owned in Liverpool, Texas. He also shipped hard drives to his Liverpool home, containing documents and writings classified at the Secret level about flight and ground operations in Afghanistan.
Marshall held a Top Secret security clearance since approximately 2003 and a Secret security clearance since approximately 2002. He provided information technology services on military bases in Afghanistan, where he also had access to classified material.
Marshall was previously released on bond, but was taken into custody following the sentencing today. He will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Army’s 902d Military Intelligence Group and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Alamdar Hamdani and former AUSA Andrew Leuchtmann of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case, along with Trial Attorney Matthew Walczewski of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining the trust placed in individuals with access to sensitive information.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Public Corruption|Cybercrime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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