State and Justice Department worker from Maryland is charged with espionage

A Maryland man who worked as a contractor for the State Department and Justice Department is now facing an espionage charge after allegedly using his “top secret” security clearance to funnel information to a foreign intelligence official. 

The Justice Department announced Thursday that Abraham Lemma, a 50-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen of Ethiopian descent living in Silver Spring, has been charged stemming from his alleged actions while working as a State Department IT administrator and management analyst for the Justice Department. 

“In these communications, Lemma expressed an interest and willingness to assist the foreign official in providing information,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “In one communication, the foreign official stated, ‘[i]t’s time to continue ur support.’ Lemma responded, ‘Roger that!’” 

“In another chat, the foreign official praised Lemma’s efforts, stating “[a]lways this beautiful country have [sic] some special people who scarify [sic] their life to protect our proud history. You always remembered. It doesn’t matter the results,” the statement added. 

CHINA’S ‘PROLIFIC’ ESPIONAGE SCHEME TRYING TO ‘HEADHUNT’ BRITISH POLITICIANS, DEFENSE OFFICIALS, UK GOVERNMENT SAYS 

“It is further alleged that Lemma used an encrypted application to transmit classified national defense information to a foreign official associated with the specific country’s intelligence service,” the Justice Department continued. 

The nationality of the foreign official was not named in the statement, but is reported by The Washington Post to be an individual associated with the intelligence service of Ethiopia. 

“According to the criminal complaint, between December 19, 2022, and August 7, 2023, Lemma copied classified information from Intelligence Reports and deleted the classification markings from them. Lemma then removed the information, which was classified as SECRET and TOP SECRET, from secure facilities at the Department of State against protocol,” the Justice Department also said. “The materials related to a specific country and/or geographic region. Lemma accessed, copied, removed, and retained this information without authorization.” 

RUSSIAN MAN CHARGED WITH SPYING ON UNITED STATES, SWEDEN 

Prosecutors say Lemma was given a “top secret” security clearance and was granted access to classified systems as part of his job. 

He has been charged with gathering or delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government, conspiracy to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government and having unauthorized possession of national defense information and willfully retaining it. 

The Justice Department says the espionage charges carry “a potential sentence of death or any term of years up to life, and the retention charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years.” 

[#item_full_content]