MARINE EX-GUARD AT EMBASSY TO BE TRIED FOR ESPIONAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504530001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 16, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504530001-7
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WASHINGTON POST
16 May 1987
Marine Ex-Guard at Embassy
To Be Tried for Espionage
11 of 24 Charges Against Lonetree Dropped
Zr
By Molly Moore
Wa.(xngton P t Staff Writer
A Marine commanding general
yesterday ordered that Sgt. Clayton
J. Lonetree face court-martial for
espionage, but dropped charges
that the former Marine security
guard allowed Soviet agents into
the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen Jr.,
commanding officer of Quantico
Marine Base where the security
guard battalion is based, ordered
Lonetree to appear before a general
court-martial on charges that he
disclosed the identity of U.S. intel-
ligence agents to Soviet officials
and gave enemy agents c ass
government documents.
The general ruled that 11 of the
24 charges filed against Lonetree in
connection with the security
breaches be dropped. Petersen said
that evidence did not support some
of the charges and ruled that other
charges were "multiplicious" and
unsubstantial, according to a state-
ment issued by the Marine Corps
late yesterday.
Charges that the 25-year-old
guard allowed Soviet agents to
roam through some parts of the
embassy were based on evidence
that "consists principally of hearsay
which is not admissible at trial," the
statement said. Lonetree had de-
nied those allegations.
Petersen ordered Lonetree to
face military trial on one count of
espionage, three counts of conspir-
acy to commit espionage and five
military legal code violations includ-
ing allegations that Lonetree dis-
closed identity of U.S. intelligence
agents to Soviet officials. Lonetree
also is charged with four counts of
failing to obey military regulations.
Lonetree ignited a worldwide
investigation of U.S. embassy se-
curity when he told a Central Intel-
ligence Agency agent last Decem-
ber that he had been approached b
Soviet agents.
Prosecutors later accused Lone-
tree of cooperating with Soviet
agents after he became sexually
involved with a Soviet woman who
worked at the Moscow embassy
where he was stationed in 1985 and
1986.
Petersen ordered the charges
against Lonetree revised after re-
ceiving recommendations from a
hearing officer who listened to sev-
eral days of testimony in a pretrial
hearing that ended Monday.
The commanding general re-
tained charges centering on allega-
tions that Lonetree gave Soviet
agents classified documents from
the embassy, including floor plans
and office assignments for the U.S.
embassies in Moscow and Vienna.
Petersen dropped the theft of gov-
ernment property charges associ-
ated with those allegations because
they were "not considered substan-
tial in light of the extremely serious
nature of the other alleged of-
fenses," according to officials.
[William Kunstler, one of Lone-
tree's attorneys, called Petersen's
decision "a great win." In an Asso-
ciated Press interview, Kunstler
said, "They gave us the most man-
ageable part of the case. I predict
he's going to end up with (convic-
tion on) fraternization, which we've
admitted."]
Lonetree's attorneys had fought
allegations.that the Marine allowed
Soviets into the embassy. They
presented a statement at Monday's
session of the pretrial hearing stat-
ing that a key witness in the case
had retracted statements implicat-
ing Lonetree in espionage. That
Marine, Cpl. Arnold Bracy, also has
been charged with espionage.
A Marine official yesterday said,
"There is still an ongoing criminal
investigation," adding that Lonetree
"could be prosecuted for these of-
fenses if the evidence justifies the
charges."
If convicted of espionage or other
charges after the court-martial,
tentatively scheduled to begin July
15, Lonetree could face maximum
penalties of life in prison, a dishon-
orable discharge, loss of all pay and
allowances and a reduction to the
lowest enlisted pay grade.
The investigation and prosecu-
tion of Lonetree, Bracy and other
Marines arrested in connection
with the security breach have been
plagued by reports of sloppy inves-
tigative techniques, lack of evi-
dence and retractions of statements
by key witnesses.
Marine officials have said the in-
vestigation has been conducted
properly, but add that prosecution
of espionage cases is difficult be-
cause evidence is usually limited.
They note that even signed state-
ments must be corroborated by out-
side evidence that frequently is dif-
ficult to obtain.
[In a related matter, Pentagon
sources told the AP that the Marine
Corps has asked the Justice Depart-
ment to assume the prosecution of
Sgt. John J. Weirick, a Leningrad
consulate guard arrested on suspi-
cion of espionage, because the stat-
ute of limitations under military law
has expired.]
Staff writer George C. Wilson
contributed to this report
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP90-00965R000504530001-7