Clayton J. Lonetree facts for kids

Clayton J. Lonetree, born on November 6, 1961, was a U.S. Marine. He was found guilty of spying for the Soviet KGB. He spent nine years in prison for this. In the early 1980s, Lonetree worked as a Marine Corps Security Guard. He was stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

Lonetree was the first U.S. Marine to be convicted of spying against the United States. He admitted in 1987 to giving documents to the Soviet Union. He was tricked into sharing information after meeting someone who worked for the KGB. This happened when he was assigned to Vienna, Austria. The documents included building plans for the U.S. Embassies in Moscow and Vienna. They also included names of U.S. intelligence agents.

Early Life and Background

Lonetree's father is from the Winnebago tribe. His mother is from the Navajo tribe.

Military Career and Espionage Case

Lonetree was put on trial by the military. This trial was called a court-martial. It took place at Quantico, Virginia. On August 21, 1987, he was found guilty of all 13 charges. These included six counts of spying and three counts of planning to spy. He was also found guilty of four counts of breaking general rules.

Sentencing and Reduction

Lonetree could have faced a life sentence or even execution. Instead, he first received a 30-year prison sentence. His rank was lowered from E-5 to E-1. He also had to pay a $5,000 fine. He lost all his military pay and benefits. He also received a dishonorable discharge from the Marines.

In 1989, the leader of the Marine Corps, Gen. Alfred M. Gray Jr., suggested a change. He wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Navy. He recommended that Lonetree's sentence be cut from 30 years to 15 years. General Gray explained that Lonetree's actions had "minimal" impact. He also said Lonetree's reason was not betrayal or greed. Instead, it was "the lovesick response of a naive, young, immature and lonely troop." Lonetree's sentence was then reduced to 15 years.

Appeals and Release

In May 1991, Lonetree tried to appeal his conviction and sentence. He asked for them to be overturned. He said he never learned the identity of one person who accused him. However, his appeal was not approved.

Some serious security problems at the embassy were first thought to be Lonetree's fault. Later, it was found that a different spy, Aldrich Ames, was responsible for some of these issues.

Lonetree was set free in 1996. He had served nine years in prison at the United States Disciplinary Barracks.

Later Testimony

In 2001, Lonetree spoke as an expert witness in a trial. This was the trial of former United States Army Reserve Colonel George Trofimoff. Colonel Trofimoff was accused of spying for the KGB. Lonetree described how he was recruited by the Soviet State. He showed great sadness and apologized for what he had done. Colonel Trofimoff was later found guilty of spying. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

See Also

• Honeypot