Ex-FBI agent gets 4 years in prison for leaking documents

St. Paul, Minn. — A former FBI agent in Minnesota who admitted leaking classified internal documents to a reporter was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison.

Terry James Albury, 39, pleaded guilty in April to one count each of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information and unauthorized retention of national defense information. He appeared to cry in court and took several moments to compose himself as he read a statement before he was sentenced.

“I truly wanted to make a difference and never intended to put anyone in danger,” Albury said, his voice wavering. He took responsibility for his actions and apologized to the people he hurt.

Prosecutors said Albury betrayed public trust when he stole more than 70 documents, including 50 that were classified. The information he shared with an online news organization included a document classified as “secret” that related to how the FBI assesses confidential informants.

U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright said Albury abused his security clearance and position as an FBI agent.

“You did so knowingly. You did so willingly. You knew that what you did was a criminal act, and you knew that you were putting the nation's security at risk,” the judge told Albury, adding that the prison sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and should deter others from doing something similar.

Albury's defense attorneys had asked for probation, saying he acted patriotically and was morally conflicted by the FBI's counterterrorism policies that he viewed as racial profiling.

Albury told the court that he joined the FBI with a “sincere desire to serve, protect and make this world a better place,” but that over time, he believed some of the FBI's counterterrorism policies were a detriment to national security. Albury, who is black, also felt isolated as a minority in the FBI.

“I now recognize there were other avenues, and wish I would've trusted the FBI's internal processes for addressing my concerns,” Albury said.

Wright, who is also black, said she believed Albury thought his motives were honorable, but they were misguided. She said she is not blind to issues minorities face but “those conditions, they didn't require you to commit a crime. And in my view, they are not an excuse for doing so.”