Brian Patrick Regan: Difference between revisions
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Jury selection for the trial began in January 2003,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2655041.stm |title=Major US spy trial opens |work=[[BBC News]] |date=13 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spy-trial-starts-0vf8wjvcgsh |title=Spy trial starts |work=[[The Times]] |date=14 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> with potential jurors required to fill in questionnaires asking their opinions on crime, espionage, the [[September 11 attacks]], and the [[death penalty]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Buncombe |first=Andrew |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-for-former-sergeant-accused-of-spying-123802.html |title=US prosecutors seek death penalty for former sergeant accused of spying |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Regan's lawyers had attempted to delay the trial due to the potential [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/13/us/retired-air-force-sergeant-accused-of-spying-is-going-to-trial.html |title=Retired Air Force Sergeant Accused of Spying Is Going to Trial |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=13 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Prosecutors sought the death penalty, the first time it would have been used for espionage since [[Julius and Ethel Rosenberg]] were executed by electric chair in 1953; the death penalty for espionage had been reinstated in 1994, but had not yet been sought on 10 prior occasions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lumpkin |first=Beverley |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90912 |title=Death Penalty for an Attempted Crime? |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=17 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="Baltimore2">{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Laura |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-01-28-0301280291-story.html |title=Spy trial opens, could result in death penalty |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=28 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> The prosecution called upon FBI code expert Daniel Olson to testify as to the secret messages Regan had attempted to send to Iraq and Libya; Olson described the code as "sophisticated".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-06-na-regan6-story.html |title=FBI Code Expert Testifies in Regan Espionage Case |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=6 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Regan's attorney Jonathan Shapiro argued that the information Regan had used was "worthless" and described his actions as merely "bad judgment".<ref name="Baltimore2"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Jarrett |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prosecutors-accused-spy-wanted-13m/ |title=Prosecutors: Accused Spy Wanted $13M |work=[[CBS News]] |date=3 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Lawyer Nina Ginsberg argued that no serious foreign power would have dealt with him.<ref>{{cite news |last=Burkeman |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Burkeman |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/22/usa.oliverburkeman |title=Jury considers death for American spy |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> The following month, Regan was found guilty on two counts of attempted espionage and one of gathering national defense information, but the jury declined to impose the death penalty.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/convicted-spy-dodges-death-penalty/ |title=Convicted Spy Dodges Death Penalty |work=[[CBS News]] |date=29 March 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> He was acquitted of the charge of attempting to spy for Libya.<ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/us-traitor-who-offered-to-spy-for-iraq-faces-death-l0x6503lxjl |title=US traitor who offered to spy for Iraq faces death |work=[[The Times]] |date=21 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] without parole in March of that year.<ref name="NYT"/> Regan's wife Anette avoided prosecution for attempting to cover up his actions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Markon |first=Jerry |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/04/28/coded-messages-add-to-mystery-of-a-failed-spy/bcb482d6-8f24-45e3-a771-c75adef7259b/ |title=Coded Messages Add to Mystery Of a Failed Spy |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=28 April 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> |
Jury selection for the trial began in January 2003,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2655041.stm |title=Major US spy trial opens |work=[[BBC News]] |date=13 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spy-trial-starts-0vf8wjvcgsh |title=Spy trial starts |work=[[The Times]] |date=14 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> with potential jurors required to fill in questionnaires asking their opinions on crime, espionage, the [[September 11 attacks]], and the [[death penalty]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Buncombe |first=Andrew |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-for-former-sergeant-accused-of-spying-123802.html |title=US prosecutors seek death penalty for former sergeant accused of spying |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Regan's lawyers had attempted to delay the trial due to the potential [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/13/us/retired-air-force-sergeant-accused-of-spying-is-going-to-trial.html |title=Retired Air Force Sergeant Accused of Spying Is Going to Trial |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=13 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Prosecutors sought the death penalty, the first time it would have been used for espionage since [[Julius and Ethel Rosenberg]] were executed by electric chair in 1953; the death penalty for espionage had been reinstated in 1994, but had not yet been sought on 10 prior occasions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lumpkin |first=Beverley |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90912 |title=Death Penalty for an Attempted Crime? |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=17 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="Baltimore2">{{cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Laura |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2003-01-28-0301280291-story.html |title=Spy trial opens, could result in death penalty |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=28 January 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> The prosecution called upon FBI code expert Daniel Olson to testify as to the secret messages Regan had attempted to send to Iraq and Libya; Olson described the code as "sophisticated".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-06-na-regan6-story.html |title=FBI Code Expert Testifies in Regan Espionage Case |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=6 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Regan's attorney Jonathan Shapiro argued that the information Regan had used was "worthless" and described his actions as merely "bad judgment".<ref name="Baltimore2"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Jarrett |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prosecutors-accused-spy-wanted-13m/ |title=Prosecutors: Accused Spy Wanted $13M |work=[[CBS News]] |date=3 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Lawyer Nina Ginsberg argued that no serious foreign power would have dealt with him.<ref>{{cite news |last=Burkeman |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Burkeman |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/22/usa.oliverburkeman |title=Jury considers death for American spy |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> The following month, Regan was found guilty on two counts of attempted espionage and one of gathering national defense information, but the jury declined to impose the death penalty.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/convicted-spy-dodges-death-penalty/ |title=Convicted Spy Dodges Death Penalty |work=[[CBS News]] |date=29 March 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> He was acquitted of the charge of attempting to spy for Libya.<ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/us-traitor-who-offered-to-spy-for-iraq-faces-death-l0x6503lxjl |title=US traitor who offered to spy for Iraq faces death |work=[[The Times]] |date=21 February 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He was sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] without parole in March of that year.<ref name="NYT"/> Regan's wife Anette avoided prosecution for attempting to cover up his actions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Markon |first=Jerry |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/04/28/coded-messages-add-to-mystery-of-a-failed-spy/bcb482d6-8f24-45e3-a771-c75adef7259b/ |title=Coded Messages Add to Mystery Of a Failed Spy |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=28 April 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> |
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Five months after the conclusion of the trial, FBI agents began searching for the classified documents.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Pierre |last2=Moritz |first2=Risa |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90314 |title=FBI Digging for Documents |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=28 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Highly sensitive documents would be discovered in the states of [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]], with over 10,000 assorted papers, videos, and CD-ROMs found; two anonymous sources believed all the hidden material had been found.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/07/28/regan.search/ |title=FBI digs up secret documents in spy case |work=[[CNN]] |date=28 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/would-be-spys-stolen-data-is-recovered-w89bnmvds0f |title=Would be spy's stolen data is recovered |work=[[The Times]] |date=30 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He is currently incarcerated at [[Federal Correctional Institution, |
Five months after the conclusion of the trial, FBI agents began searching for the classified documents.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Pierre |last2=Moritz |first2=Risa |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90314 |title=FBI Digging for Documents |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=28 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> Highly sensitive documents would be discovered in the states of [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]], with over 10,000 assorted papers, videos, and CD-ROMs found; two anonymous sources believed all the hidden material had been found.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/07/28/regan.search/ |title=FBI digs up secret documents in spy case |work=[[CNN]] |date=28 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Monaghan |first=Elaine |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/would-be-spys-stolen-data-is-recovered-w89bnmvds0f |title=Would be spy's stolen data is recovered |work=[[The Times]] |date=30 July 2003 |access-date=16 May 2021 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He is currently incarcerated at [[Federal Correctional Institution, Terre Haute]] in [[Terre Haute, Indiana]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=Brian&Middle=Patrick&LastName=Regan&Race=U&Sex=M&Age=&x=73&y=17 |title=Brian Patrick Regan |work=Locate a Federal Inmate|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons|access-date=22 June 2018}}</ref> In 2016, journalist Yudhijit Bhattacharjee released a book about Regan and his capture titled ''The Spy Who Couldn't Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI's Hunt for America's Stolen Secrets''.<ref name="WSJ"/> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
Latest revision as of 16:15, 14 August 2024
MSgt. Brian Patrick Regan
United States Air Force | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Spy Who Couldn't Spell |
Born | New York City, New York | October 23, 1962
Service | United States Air Force |
Years of service | 1980–2000 |
Rank | Master Sergeant |
Unit | Air Force Intelligence Support Group at the Pentagon |
Battles / wars | Gulf War |
Brian Patrick Regan (born October 23, 1962, in New York City, New York) is a former master sergeant in the United States Air Force who was convicted of offering to sell secret information to foreign governments.[1]
Biography
[edit]He was born October 23, 1962, in New York City, New York. His childhood has been characterised as a difficult one; due to having dyslexia and having an "odd" personality, he was frequently bullied and ridiculed by classmates and children in his neighbourhood.[2]
Espionage activity
[edit]From July 1995 to August 2000, Regan worked as a USAF assignee at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in Chantilly, Virginia, and was a signals intelligence specialist.[3][4] He was forced into retirement in August 2000, having failed to accept an overseas deployment.[5] In October 2000, he was hired by TRW Inc., but brought back to NRO and monitored.[6] In 1999, he had begun downloading data from Intelink, and in total removed 20,000 pages, CD-ROMs and videotapes from NRO.[5] Regan's financial situation, a rift in his marriage, as well as the realization he would not be promoted again, eventually gave him the idea to commit espionage to make money.[7] According to prosecutors, he had credit card debts of $117,000 and wrote a letter to Saddam Hussein offering to sell intelligence material for $13 million. He also made similar offers to Libya and China.[4][8] He buried the majority of the stolen documents in several forests.[5]
The plot was first discovered in December 2000, when an informant from the Libyan Consulate in New York handed the FBI a series of letters.[9][5] The letters contained a letter written in a code Regan had created, as well as details on how to decode the letter, as well as code sheets.[10] Each envelope also contained aerial images taken by US satellites of military sites in the Middle East, as well as other imagery to prove he wasn't bluffing.[5] After narrowing the search down to Regan due in part to his dyslexia,[11] FBI agent Steve Carr and other investigators began investigating him in April 2001.[5] Upon his return to the NRO, cameras observed him using his work computer to again access Intelink files, with agents observing him taking notes.[12] In August 2001, Regan was arrested by the FBI at Dulles International Airport, preparing to board a flight to Zürich, Switzerland.[13] He was carrying classified documents and contact information for Iraqi, Libyan, and Chinese embassies in Switzerland hidden in his shoes.[3][12] In February 2002, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.[14]
Jury selection for the trial began in January 2003,[15][16] with potential jurors required to fill in questionnaires asking their opinions on crime, espionage, the September 11 attacks, and the death penalty.[17] Regan's lawyers had attempted to delay the trial due to the potential invasion of Iraq.[18] Prosecutors sought the death penalty, the first time it would have been used for espionage since Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electric chair in 1953; the death penalty for espionage had been reinstated in 1994, but had not yet been sought on 10 prior occasions.[19][20] The prosecution called upon FBI code expert Daniel Olson to testify as to the secret messages Regan had attempted to send to Iraq and Libya; Olson described the code as "sophisticated".[21] Regan's attorney Jonathan Shapiro argued that the information Regan had used was "worthless" and described his actions as merely "bad judgment".[20][22] Lawyer Nina Ginsberg argued that no serious foreign power would have dealt with him.[23] The following month, Regan was found guilty on two counts of attempted espionage and one of gathering national defense information, but the jury declined to impose the death penalty.[24] He was acquitted of the charge of attempting to spy for Libya.[25] He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in March of that year.[3] Regan's wife Anette avoided prosecution for attempting to cover up his actions.[26]
Five months after the conclusion of the trial, FBI agents began searching for the classified documents.[27] Highly sensitive documents would be discovered in the states of Maryland and Virginia, with over 10,000 assorted papers, videos, and CD-ROMs found; two anonymous sources believed all the hidden material had been found.[28][29] He is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution, Terre Haute in Terre Haute, Indiana.[30] In 2016, journalist Yudhijit Bhattacharjee released a book about Regan and his capture titled The Spy Who Couldn't Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI's Hunt for America's Stolen Secrets.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit (October 13, 2016). "The Spy We Forgot". The New York Times.
- ^ Martin, Michel; Wertheimer, Linda (19 November 2016). "How Misspellings Caught A Spy". NPR. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Life Sentence For Bid to Sell Secrets to Iraq". The New York Times. 21 March 2003. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
- ^ a b "American Spy Cuts Deal, Gets Life". CBS News. 13 January 2003. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit (26 October 2016). "The spy who couldn't spell: how the biggest heist in the history of US espionage was foiled". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Sources: Suspect Spied For Libya". CBS News. 24 August 2001. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit (18 March 2019). "The Hoarder Who Tried to Spy for Saddam". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Espionage case of former master sergeant in hands of jury". CNN. 11 February 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit (1 November 2019). "How the FBI tracked down 'the spy who couldn't spell'". CNN. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Locker, Ray (29 October 2016). "This would-be spy was no James Bond". USA Today. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ a b Schneider, Harold (22 December 2016). "Treason the Easy Way". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ a b Briggs, Johnathon E.; Gibson, Gail (25 August 2001). "Bowie man held as spy". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Former US airman on spy charge". BBC News. 25 August 2001. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "US intelligence agent denies spying". BBC News. 15 February 2002. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Major US spy trial opens". BBC News. 13 January 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Monaghan, Elaine (14 January 2003). "Spy trial starts". The Times. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Buncombe, Andrew (14 January 2003). "US prosecutors seek death penalty for former sergeant accused of spying". The Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Retired Air Force Sergeant Accused of Spying Is Going to Trial". The New York Times. 13 January 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Lumpkin, Beverley (17 January 2003). "Death Penalty for an Attempted Crime?". ABC News. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ a b Sullivan, Laura (28 January 2003). "Spy trial opens, could result in death penalty". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "FBI Code Expert Testifies in Regan Espionage Case". Los Angeles Times. 6 February 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Murphy, Jarrett (3 February 2003). "Prosecutors: Accused Spy Wanted $13M". CBS News. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Burkeman, Oliver (22 February 2003). "Jury considers death for American spy". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Convicted Spy Dodges Death Penalty". CBS News. 29 March 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Monaghan, Elaine (21 February 2003). "US traitor who offered to spy for Iraq faces death". The Times. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Markon, Jerry (28 April 2003). "Coded Messages Add to Mystery Of a Failed Spy". The Washington Post. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Thomas, Pierre; Moritz, Risa (28 July 2003). "FBI Digging for Documents". ABC News. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "FBI digs up secret documents in spy case". CNN. 28 July 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ Monaghan, Elaine (30 July 2003). "Would be spy's stolen data is recovered". The Times. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Brian Patrick Regan". Locate a Federal Inmate. Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
External links
[edit]- American people convicted of attempted spying against the United States
- American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
- Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government
- United States Air Force airmen
- National Reconnaissance Office personnel
- 1962 births
- Living people
- People with dyslexia