NEW: Ex @USArmy Special Forces officer arrested for spying for #Russia from 1996-2011
Per @TheJusticeDept 45yo Peter Debbins of #Gainesville #Virginia "periodically visited Russia &met w/Russian intelligence agents," provided "information abt his chemical & Special Forces units"
Debbins "betrayed the Special Forces & endangered our country’s nat'l security by revealing classified information to #Russia|n intelligence officers...identifying Special Forces team members for Russian intelligence to try to recruit" per @TheJusticeDept Asst AG John Demers
“According to the allegations, Mr. Debbins knowingly provided information to self-proclaimed members of #Russia's Intelligence Service, the #GRU" per @FBIWFO acting Asst Dir James Dawson in statement
Per @TheJusticeDept, Debbins faces maximum of life in prison if convicted
More info here: justice.gov/opa/pr/former-…
According to the indictment, Debbins's mother was born in the #SovietUnion, and he developed an interest in #Russia "at least in part due to his mother's heritage"
He 1st traveled to Russia in 1994 & married his wife in Russia in 1997 - she became a US citizen in 2010
#Russia intelligence 1st contacted Debbins in 1996, learning he was ROTC and planned to serve in the US military though his political opinions were "pro-Russian & anti-American" per the indictment
During October 1997 meeting, #Russia intel agencts gave Debbins the code name "Ikar Lesnikov" & Debbins signed a document "stating he wanted to 'serve Russia'" per @TheJusticeDept indictment
Per the indictment, Debbins began his active duty US military duty in 1998, serving in #SouthKorea & #Louisiana, before joining @USArmy special forces and serving in #Germany & #Azerbaijan
His unit also operated in the Republic of #Georgia
Also per the indictment, Debbins was investigated for a security violation & had his security clearance suspended in late 2044, early 2005, shortly after he was "removed from his command in #Azerbaijan"
From 2005-2010, Debbins was with the US Army inactive reserve and worked for a #Ukrain|ian steel manufacturer in #Minnesota
Per @TheJusticeDept, during a visit to #Russia in 1999, Debbins told his Russian #GRU handlers he wanted to leave the US army but that one "encouraged Debbins to remain in the military"
#Russia intel may have worried Debbins was actually a US spy - and questioned him about it
#Russia intel "encouraged Debbins to pursue the Special Forces...he was of no use to the Russian intelligence service as an infantry commander"
Handlers offered to pay Debbins $1,000 - "Initially, Debbins declined payment, stating he has true love for #Russia" per the indictment
Per @TheJusticeDept, Debbins provided #Russia's GRU with more than just names of other special force operators they might want to approach... He "also provided them with the names of two US counterintelligence officers who had previously attempted to recruit [him]"
In January 2010, an adjudicator w/the US Army notified Debbins he had been approved for a TS/SCI security clearance but catuioned about his business connections, his father-in-law, and more: "[s]ituations such as those...have been exploited in the past"
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