James Wilbur Fondren Jr., Espionage, Virginia 2009
Defense Official Sentenced to 36 Months for Espionage Charges
A high-ranking Defense Department official has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for his role in a espionage scheme. James Wilbur Fondren Jr., 62, was found guilty of unlawful communication of classified information by a government employee and two counts of making false statements.
The sentencing took place on September 25, 2009 in the Eastern District of Virginia. Fondren, a former Deputy Director of the Washington Liaison Office for the U.S. Pacific Command, held a top-secret security clearance and worked in a Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF).
According to court documents, Fondren provided classified Defense Department documents and information to Tai Shen Kuo, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Taiwan, between November 2004 and February 11, 2008. Fondren was aware that Kuo had maintained a close relationship with an official of the People's Republic of China and had introduced Fondren to the official during a trip to the PRC in March 1999.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Hammerstrom and James P. Gillis, as well as Trial Attorney Ryan Fayhee from the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division.
Fondren's sentence includes 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. The exact date of his release is not specified in the source material.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of classified information and the consequences of betraying that trust.
Defendant: James Wilbur Fondren Jr.
Criminal Charges: Unlawful communication of classified information by a government employee, two counts of making false statements.
City and State: Arlington, Virginia
Exact Date: September 25, 2009
Sentence: 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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