26-year-old Ms. Reality Winner (what a goofy name),  “Reality Leigh Winner“, aka “Reality Winner” aka “Sara Winner“, aka “Sara Winners“,was an NSA contractor in June 2017 when she was arrested and charged under the Espionage Act for stealing classified documents and leaking them to the media.  Today she pleads guilty to one count of unlawful retention and dissemination of national defense information.

GEORGIA – Reality Winner, the former National Security Agency contractor accused of leaking classified information to journalists, pleaded guilty Tuesday as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Winner, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful retention and dissemination of national defense information.

Her plea agreement, signed June 19, says she’s facing a possible sentence of 63 months in jail and three years of supervised release. No date has been set yet for a sentencing hearing.

Winner was arrested in June 2017 for allegedly feeding a classified report with information on Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential election to a news outlet.
“I misused my clearance to print out the report…I did so of my own free will,” Winner said during Tuesday’s court hearing.
Winner was charged, under the Espionage Act, with removing classified material from a government facility and leaking it. According to court documents, Winner snuck the document out of a secure NSA facility by folding it and putting it in her pantyhose.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge asked Winner questions about her mental state. Winner disclosed she is taking antidepressant Zoloft and battling an eating disorder as well as depression.  She has been held at the Lincoln County Jail near Augusta, Ga.  (read more)
 



 

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