Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins was arrested for allegedly releasing specifics to Russian intelligence operatives about the chemical and Distinctive Forces unit he was a part of in advance of and although serving in the US Military.
Prosecutors with the Japanese District of Virginia say Debbins fulfilled with Russian operatives on numerous events from 1996 to 2011 and was even assigned a code identify, “Ikar Lesnikov,” by Russian intel agents. Debbins is also accused of signing a statement allegedly affirming that he wished to provide Russia.
The FBI alleges that “Mr. Debbins knowingly furnished info to self-proclaimed members of Russia’s Intelligence Services, the GRU,” mentioned James A. Dawson, acting assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington area office.
“As a member of the US Armed Forces, the American people today and his fellow provider males and gals need to have been equipped to have confidence in Debbins with secrets and techniques and information and facts,” stated Alan E. Kohler, FBI assistant director of the counterintelligence division, in a assertion. “Debbins allegedly fell extremely limited of that and exploited his purpose in the navy and his fellow service customers to advantage one of our major adversaries for years.”
It was not straight away obvious if Debbins experienced an legal professional.
Debbins, 45, of Gainesville, Virginia, served as an energetic member of the US Army from 1998 until finally he was honorably discharged in 2005. Through that time, he was granted key stability clearance and was granted major key protection clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Details obtain, in accordance to the indictment.
Prosecutors say Debbins’ contacts with Russia dates to 1996 when he participated in an impartial study application and lived in Chelyabinsk, a city nearby the country’s air drive foundation. While there, Debbins allegedly fulfilled a Russian intelligence agent and reviewed his participation in the ROTC application as very well as his programs to sign up for the armed service.
He also achieved his wife in Russia and his father-in-regulation was an officer in the Russian navy, according to the indictment.
Debbins also allegedly tried to conceal his partnership with Russian brokers by failing to disclose his contacts with them on US govt files expected for history checks, according to the indictment.
Debbins was billed with a single depend of conspiracy to get or deliver defense data to aid a international federal government. If convicted, Debbins faces a optimum of everyday living in prison.
