WASHINGTON, May 11 (UPI) -- Former CIA officer Jeffrey Sterling has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for leaking information to New York Times journalist James Risen.
Sterling, 47, leaked information concerning the United States' effort to covertly disrupt Iran's nuclear program.
"There has to be a clear message sent to other people at the agency," said presiding Judge Leonie Brinkem, who explained other agents must know the consequences of such actions. "There's going to be a price that will be paid."
The Justice Department believes Sterling's leak harmed the mission and possibly put another agent's life at risk. They believe Sterling, who is black, leaked the information because he believed he had been the target of discrimination.
Sterling's defense team asked that he be prosecuted like retired Gen. David Petraeus, who was sentenced to one month probation for sharing classified information with his mistress.
Sterling's sentence is significantly lower than that sought by the prosecution of over 20 years.
