Jeffrey Alexander Sterling facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeffrey A. Sterling
Sterling at the International Journalism Festival in 2024
Born	Cape Girardeau, Missouri, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Washington University School of Law, 1992 Millikin University, 1989
Occupation	Fraud investigator (2004–2011) Lawyer (unknown–present) Former undercover CIA officer (May 14, 1993 – January 31, 2002)
Known for	Whistleblower
Spouse(s)	Holly Sterling

Jeffrey Alexander Sterling is an American lawyer. He used to work for the CIA, which is a U.S. government agency that gathers secret information about other countries.

Sterling was later arrested and found guilty of breaking a law called the Espionage Act. This happened because he shared secret information about a CIA operation with a journalist named James Risen. Sterling said he was punished because he had previously sued the CIA for unfair treatment based on race. He was released from prison in January 2018.

Early Life and Education

Jeffrey Sterling was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He studied political science at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and earned his degree in 1989.

Later, in 1992, he became a lawyer. He graduated from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.

Working for the CIA

Sterling started working for the CIA on May 14, 1993. In 1995, he got a promotion. He became an operations officer in the CIA's division that focused on Iran.

He had a very high level of security clearance. This meant he could see top secret documents and learn about secret CIA agents and missions.

Secret Missions and Concerns

After learning the Persian language in 1997, Sterling was sent to different places. First, he went to Bonn, Germany. Two years later, he moved to New York City. His job was to find and recruit Iranian people to work as agents for the CIA. This was part of a secret mission about Iran's weapons.

From 1998 to 2000, Sterling was in charge of a special project. He worked with a Russian engineer who helped the CIA. This engineer was used to pass secret, but flawed, design plans to the Iranians.

In April 2000, Sterling made a complaint to the CIA. He said that the agency was treating him unfairly because of his race. After this, the CIA took away his access to secret documents about the operation. He was put on leave in March 2001. His contract with the CIA ended on January 31, 2002.

Lawsuit Against the CIA

Sterling filed a lawsuit against the CIA. He claimed that officials at the CIA had treated him unfairly because of his race. However, the government stopped his lawsuit. They used something called the "state secrets privilege." This means the government can stop a lawsuit if it believes the case would reveal important national secrets.

A court ruled in 2005 that Sterling could not prove his case. This was because he would have to share secret details about his work. Revealing these details would harm national security.

Sharing Secret Information

Between 2002 and 2004, the U.S. government found emails and phone calls involving Sterling. They believed he was sharing secret national defense information with a journalist. The journalist was James Risen. In March 2003, Sterling also told the Senate Intelligence Committee about his concerns regarding a "poorly executed and dangerous" CIA operation.

Arrest and Charges

On December 22, 2010, Sterling was officially accused of several crimes. These included keeping and sharing secret national defense information without permission. He was arrested on January 6, 2011.

Sterling was the fifth person in U.S. history to be charged under the Espionage Act. This law makes it illegal to share information that could harm the country's defense.

Sterling said he did not share secret information. He believed the charges were meant to punish him for his earlier lawsuit against the CIA.

Trial and Sentencing

On January 26, 2015, Sterling was found guilty of espionage charges. His sentencing was set for a later date. His lawyers asked for a lighter sentence. They pointed out that others who had shared classified information received less severe punishments.

On May 11, 2015, Judge Leonie Brinkema sentenced Sterling to 3½ years in prison. The judge said that revealing the identity of someone working with the CIA was a very serious secret. She wanted to send a clear message: if you knowingly share secrets, there will be consequences.

Sterling was held at FCI Englewood. While in prison, his wife and he raised concerns about his health. They said he was not getting proper medical care for a serious heart condition. He was released from prison in January 2018.

Personal Life

Jeffrey Sterling is married to Holly Sterling. She works as a social worker. They met online and decided to get married barefoot on a beach in Jamaica.

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, Sterling received a national Anti-Fraud Award. This award was from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. He helped uncover a large Medicare fraud scheme. This effort saved an estimated US$32 million.

In 2019, Sterling was honored with the Sam Adams Award. This award is given to intelligence professionals who show courage in speaking out.

See also

• Nuclear program of Iran
• Thomas Andrews Drake (NSA whistleblower charged under the Espionage Act, 2010)
• Stephen Jin-Woo Kim (State Department contractor convicted under Espionage Act, 2010)

FCI Englewood, where Sterling was held.