Charged with espionage for leaking classified information to a reporter concerning contracts let by the National Security Agency that he felt wasted taxpayers’ money, Thomas Drake agreed to a plea deal of one-year on probation and 240 hours of community service.
The federal judge presiding over the case criticized the government for retreating on the eve of the trial and the two and a half year time period between the initial search of Drake’s house and the indictment. -db
From a commentary in TechDirt, July 18, 2011, by Mike Masnick.