back to article Inept bloke who tried to sell military sat secrets to Russia gets 5 years

A contractor who tried to sell trade secrets on military communication satellites to the Russians has been sent down for five years. Incredibly, it could have been longer after prosecutors alleged that he was also planning to kill his wife. On Monday, California District Judge George Wu threw Gregory Allen Justice, 50, behind …

  1. Flat Phillip

    Looking after dad

    If this guy starts making enquiries about life insurance and muscle relaxant when he gets out if I was his dad I'd firmly decline his "help".

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Looking after dad

      "I'm not dead yet...."

      [whack]

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Trial balloon (lead)

    "Judge Wu wasn't buying it, however. He reportedly said that people occasionally fantasize about killing their spouses, but that doesn't mean they would actually go through with it. Presumably the judge's wife wasn't thrilled with that statement."

    His words were somewhat injudicious.

    1. a_yank_lurker

      Re: Trial balloon (lead)

      The wording is poor but the Judge is telling the government shysters their case on this point is at best weak if not leaking so bad it makes the Titanic a better bet to got to port. Feral shysters love to add tangential charges to the main charge in the hopes that something sticks if the main charge collapses (as it often does). This is instead of making sure they actually have a case on the main charge. This seems like the judge is telling the shysters to do their jobs correctly and stop adding bullshit charges.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Trial balloon (lead)

        I'm glad there are still judges out there who will only consider something based on available evidence, but here you're in the situation of catching someone with a crowbar in the dead of night claiming he's a builder.

        The difference is that the "shipping a crowbar at night" situation already has precedent, whereas the medication thing is a bit harder to prove which leads right into the whole pesky "reasonable doubt" thing, also because the guy is so inept to be almost comical.

        He should know by now that the Russians get their secrets straight from Trump & family.

        1. Mahhn

          Re: Trial balloon (lead)

          and their radioactive material from the Clintons.

  3. Woza
    Angel

    "while in jail he had had a religious epiphany."

    Paging Charles Prentiss, Charles Prentiss to the courtesy phone.

    Icon: Religious epiphany in progress.

    1. Rich 11

      Re: "while in jail he had had a religious epiphany."

      American prisons are chock full of people who found God just before sentencing. Given the recidivism rate of ex-cons, I can't help but think that not all of these poor souls are being entirely honest.

      1. Tom 38

        Re: "while in jail he had had a religious epiphany."

        I can't help but think that not all of these poor souls are being entirely honest.

        And the mercy seat is glowing

        And I think my head is smoking

        And in a way I'm hopin'

        to be done with all these looks of disbelief.

        A life for a life

        And a truth for a truth

        And I've got nothin' left to loose.

        And I'm not afraid to die

        And the mercy seat is smoking

        And I think my head is melting

        And in a way that's helpin'

        to be done with all this twistin' of the truth

        An eye for an eye

        And a tooth for a tooth

        And any way I told the truth

        But I'm afraid I told a lie.

      2. James O'Shea

        Re: "while in jail he had had a religious epiphany."

        I'm reminded of the young miss who was sentenced to death for being an axe-murdering bitch. She allegedly came to Jesus while locked up, and appealed for clemency. Boy George Bush said 'no', despite the statements of support from all over (including il Papa, John Paul II) and so she got whacked by the Great State of Texas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karla_Faye_Tucker

        No, I don't believe that she was, ahem, 'born again'. I do believe that she was guilty as charged (in large part because she didn't deny it...) and was entirely deserving of getting a hot shot. (Actually, I'd have gone for the Traditional Texas Way: a rope and a horse. Cheaper and faster.) There may well have been a convict who actually did come to Jesus, but I have not seen even one such.

  4. Florida1920
    Facepalm

    Gregory Allen *Justice*

    The irony is staggering.

    1. Prst. V.Jeltz Silver badge
      Headmaster

      Re: Gregory Allen *Justice*

      Wouldn't it be more ironic if justice hadn't been administered to Justice?

    2. Andrew Moore

      Re: Gregory Allen *Justice*

      May I be the first to say: Justice has been served...

  5. FozzyBear
    Joke

    Presumably the judge's wife wasn't thrilled with that statement.

    Yep apparently she was overheard talking to the convicted felon inquiring into those "Muscle relaxants"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Russians you say? Guilty?

    Time to call Uncle Donald for a pardon.

    Just a wayward business transaction with the Russians, like so many before it.

    A pardon worked for Joe Arpaio, the hardline Arizona lawman who was convicted of contempt of court in July for defying a judge’s order to stop racially profiling Latinos

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The Russians you say? Guilty?

      From this news article..

      http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jul/31/joe-arpaio-convicted-of-crime-for-ignoring-judges-/

      "Joe Arpaio was found guilty Monday of criminal contempt for defying a judge’s order to stop detaining illegal immigrants"

      The case was brought by a group of Latinos.

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: The Russians you say? Guilty?

        "Joe Arpaio was found guilty Monday of criminal contempt for defying a judge’s order to stop detaining illegal immigrants"

        The case was brought by a group of Latinos.

        Not too sure what your point is here. The Sheriffs method of identifying illegal immigrants was to stop pretty much anyone and everyone with a Latino "look" about them and demand they prove their right to be in the US, ie anyone with a "suspicious skin colour", the very definition of racial profiling.

        Hopefully the above is confirming your point and not refuting it.

        1. MonkeyCee

          Re: The Russians you say? Guilty?

          The Arpaio pardon is more worrying for what it represents.

          Sheriff Joe is acting as an agent of the state, in the role of law enforcement. Generally we like LEOs to follow the law in their personal life, and for them to always follow it in their professional life.

          Arpaio was told his actions where illegal *by a court of law* and told to stop doing so. In other words, he was breaking the law, then told to stop doing so.

          At this point, Joe ignores the order of the court, and carries on breaking the law.

          He then gets convicted of ignoring the court.

          Which is then pardoned by DJT.

          So the executive branch (which LEOs usually are part of) of government is breaking the law, the judicial intervenes, and then the executive nullifies the judicial action.

          This is not a good thing as far as constitutional balance goes. It's practically in Russian/Turkish territory as far as the assertion of executive authority over all others.

  7. chivo243 Silver badge

    Covered all the bases

    What a well rounded ass... and dumb too.

    1. Selling secrets to the Russians far below market value.

    2. Thinking he was involved with a Russian woman and getting catfished.

    3. Not paying medical bills and letting his sick wife suffer (see point 1).

    4. Plotting to off his wife.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Selling out the US to Russia...

    ... I thought that was Donalds job.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Selling out the US to Russia...

      RE: ... I thought that was Donalds job.

      Making America Georgian Again?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Selling out the US to Russia...

        Great. Now it only takes the word "Russia" in the title to attract lots of Losers in Denial.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Selling out the US to Russia...

          @BJ, anything to keep you happy..

          :)

    2. Joe Harrison

      Re: Selling out the US to Russia...

      ... I thought that was Donalds job.

      Well, so it is said in campaigns by his political enemies, based on no evidence whatsoever...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Selling out the US to Russia...

        No need for evidence, that Russian fairytale is just the pretext anyway. It enables Democrats to 'investigate' their opposition to death and just brazen it out when people accuse them of spying on their political opposition. Which, BTW, we now know they did do thanks to CNN's reporting yesterday.

        Funny, but I seem to recall back in March when Trump claimed his campaign was being bugged on Obama's orders and he was royally ripped for suggesting such a dirty thing. The very idea!

  9. Mooseman Silver badge

    "pled" ?

    1. Ochib

      Re Pled

      Pled

      [plɛd]

      DEFINITION

      North American, Scottish, or dialect past participle of plead.

  10. Potemkine! Silver badge

    No more red tape and free business

    That guy found a innovative way to make some money... once again the government breaks an entrepreneur initiative with bureaucratic obstruction! If this nonsense continues, one will be forbidden to drill for oil in natural reserves or indian reservations!

  11. Mr Dogshit

    For similar LOLs

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/26/spy-couldnt-spell-how-biggest-heists-us-espionage-history-foiled

  12. Pen-y-gors

    Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki

    Now that's a fine name! Just think how impressive that would sound when you introduce yourself at a conference or on a course - or even at a party. Much better than "Oh, I'm in IT at Tesco"

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki

      Or people might say "bless you" and pass the box of tissues...

      On a serious note though, I'm pretty sure most people would be a bit put off if they met someone at a party who worked for SIS or MI5.

      If someone told you they worked for the SVR (in the old days the KGB), you might be too busy checking the state of the teapot to have time to consider the coolness of meeting a spy.

      "What kind of a spy?"

      "A mince pie! And a merry Christmas to you all!"

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Curious to know......

    Did the Russian consulate shop him as being a bit of a buffoon, or did the FBI actually "note" him making contact in some way?

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Curious to know......

      There's still a lot of spying going on. Much of it by legally resident spies, operating from embassies under diplomatic cover. Which is how it was done in the Cold War.

      In the UK MI5 keep tabs on foreign diplomats - while the SIS hide amongst our diplomats, trying not to get noticed. In the US the CIA do the naughties abroad, while the FBI have the job of counter-intelligence at home.

      There was always a dilemma in Cold War days, where mass expulsions of "diplomats" for spying were common. You'd caught the KGB doing something naughty - so you wanted to discourage them. On the other hand, you'd just caught them. If they didn't know you had, then you could keep watching them and learn more. Whereas if you expelled all the ones you thought were spies, they'd learn who you'd cottoned onto and who you hadn't. This might give them valuable clues as to how you operated, and what worked best to counter it.

      Also, they'd only be replacing those people with more spies, slipped into the normal numbers of diplomats. And you wouldn't know which ones these were, or how they worked. So you'd have to spend ages building up profiles of them to learn their routines and try to work out who was an honest diplomat and who was a wrong-un.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Curious to know......

        Honest Diplomat - that is an oxymoron that I have not heard in quite a while.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Russia

    [see title]

  15. Bucky 2

    The Falcon and the Snowman

    No wife killing. Secret selling, though.

    Good movie. The astonishing motive of the dude selling the secrets was that if the US was doing nasty stuff, then the Soviets (in the movie, it was Soviets) must be the good guys.

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