OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:50 AM – Thursday, August 7, 2025
A 22-year-old active-duty soldier assigned to Fort Bliss was arrested Wednesday on charges of attempting to transmit national defense information to a foreign adversary and unlawfully exporting controlled technical data without the required authorization.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office released a press release on Wednesday, announcing the charges against Taylor Adam Lee, 22, for allegedly utilizing his top secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance to send sensitive information to Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
“From approximately May 2025 through the present, Lee sought to establish his U.S. Army credentials and send U.S. defense information to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In June 2025, Lee allegedly transmitted export-controlled technical information on the M1A2 Abrams Tank online and offered assistance to the Russian Federation,” the release read.
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Lee reportedly sent a message to Russian officials, writing: “The USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” while adding, “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.”
Lee even met with an individual whom “he believed to be a representative of the Russian government” in July, the release continued.
At one point in the meeting, Lee passed the individual an SD card and “proceeded to provide a detailed overview of the documents and information contained on the SD card, including documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams, another armored fighting vehicle used by the U.S. military, and combat operations.”
Lee also provided the individual with numerous documents containing “controlled technical data that Lee did not have the authorization to provide.”
“During and after the July meeting, Lee discussed obtaining and providing to the Russian government a specific piece of hardware inside the M1A2 Abrams tank. On July 31, 2025, Lee delivered what appeared to be the hardware to a storage unit in El Paso. After doing so, Lee sent a message to the individual he believed to be a representative of the Russian government stating, ‘Mission accomplished,’” the release added.
Lee was subsequently arrested on Wednesday. He made an appearance in federal court on the same day.
“This arrest is an alarming reminder of the serious threat facing our U.S. Army,” stated Brigadier General Sean F. Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command.
“Thanks to the hard work of Army Counterintelligence Command Special Agents and our FBI partners, Soldiers who violate their oath and become insider threats will absolutely be caught and brought to justice, and we will continue to protect Army personnel and safeguard equipment,” Stinchon added.
“National security has long been one of the highest priorities of the Justice Department, and here in the Western District of Texas, we remain alert for those who wish to help our adversaries and harm the United States,” stated U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Our enemies both foreign and domestic, should be aware that we diligently investigate and aggressively prosecute these cases. I appreciate the investigative work by our partners in the FBI and the Army Counterintelligence Command, and I look forward to continuing our work with them as we proceed with the prosecution of this important case,” he added.
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