US Judge Denies Plea Deals For Duo Charged With Trying To Sell Submarine Secrets - Reports
Sumaira FH Published August 17, 2022 | 02:30 AM
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2022) A US Federal judge for the Northern District of West Virginia denied the plea deals of a couple who in February pleaded guilty to trying to sell secret information about US submarines to a foreign government, the New York Times reported.
Judge Gina Groh on Tuesday rejected the plea agreements of Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, who were charged with espionage for allegedly attempting to sell military submarine secrets obtained through Jonathan's job as a US Navy nuclear engineer to what the couple believed was a foreign government, the report said on Tuesday.
The FBI arrested and charged the couple in last October as part of a sting operation.
Jonathan Toebbe's agreement stipulated a 12-year prison sentence, while Diana's agreement included a three-year sentence that could have seen her freed after just two years served, the report said.
Groh said she would consider a deal within the standard sentencing guidelines that would see the couple face more than 15 years in prison, the report said.
Such a long sentence could lead Dianna to seek acquittal by a jury at trial, the report said.
Groh noted that low-level drug dealers go to prison for longer than the three years stipulated in Dianna's plea agreement, the report said.
The couple's pleas were withdrawn as a result of the court's rejection of the agreements, prompting Groh to schedule a trial date for January 2023. Lawyers have until then to reach new plea deals acceptable to Groh, the report added.
The couple's actions have compromised the integrity of sensitive information and undercut the military advantage afforded by decades of research, Groh said during a statement on her decision.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
37 minutes ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
37 minutes ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
37 minutes ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
37 minutes ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
38 minutes ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
48 minutes ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
57 minutes ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
57 minutes ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
1 hour ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
2 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
2 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
2 hours ago