According to the details of the case against him, Virginia civil servants accused of trying to share confidential information with a foreign country, as custody hearings are pending due to the possibility of death, depending on the prison (DOJ), according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Virginia Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered 28-year-old Nathan Latsch to be held on hold on hold on a scheduled June 4 detention hearing.
Laatsch is said to have attempted to send classified defense information or documents to foreign governments.
According to DOJ prosecutor Gordon Kromberg, Laatsch faces “any period, or life, or even death,” depending on the details of the case.
We IT Specialists arrested after trying to share confidential information with foreign governments: DOJ
Nathan Laatsch was a private employee of the Insider Threats Division of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and held top-secret security clearance, according to the Department of Justice. (Alexandria Sheriff’s Office)
Laatsch, an IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Reporting Agency (DIA) since 2019, appeared in court wearing street clothing on Friday.
He was arrested after the FBI received hints in March that someone was willing to provide confidential information to friendly foreign governments.
According to the DOJ, Laatsch was a private employee of DIA’s insider threat division and held top-secret security clearance.
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Laatsch was arrested after the FBI received hints in March that someone was willing to provide confidential information to friendly foreign governments. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In an email to the FBI, the person was later identified as Ratsch – said he “does not agree or align with the values” of the Trump administration and is willing to share sensitive information he has access, such as completed intelligence products, several raw intelligence, and other various classification documents.
Laatsch contacted FBI agents to confirm that he has believed he is a foreign government official on multiple occasions and was ready to share the confidential information he had transferred to the notepad on his desk, the DOJ said. He is said to have extended information from his workspace multiple times over a three-day period in preparation.
The FBI has established an operation in Northern Virginia Park, where Laatsch was to deposit classified information “for foreign government recovery,” according to the DOJ. He was observed to deposit the items at a location designated by the FBI on or around May 1st.
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According to the DOJ, Laatsch was unconsciously communicating with FBI agents when he agreed to share the classified information. (Getty Images)
When he left, the DOJ said the FBI agent had retrieved the thumb drive from an area where it was found to contain messages from Laatsch and multiple type documents containing information partially marked for secret or top-grade levels. His message is said to have shown that he shares a “decent sample size” of the classified information to show the type of what he has access to.
On May 7th, after Laatsch learned that the thumb drive had been acquired, he allegedly sent a message to a secret agent who appears to be saying he was asking for something in exchange for providing information.
The next day, he designated American things “interested in “citizenship for your country” because he “didn’t expect to improve in the long term,” the DOJ said. He also said he “does not oppose other compensation,” but not where he would need “material compensation.”
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Laatsch was told by FBI agents on May 14 that “foreign governments” were ready for additional confidential information. Between May 15th and May 27th, he began transcribing more information, folding notes, and removing it from the building, hiding in his clothes.
On Thursday, Ratsch arrived at a pre-lined location in northern Virginia and dropped the information “foreign.” He was arrested after the FBI received the documents.
Elizabeth Pritchett of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to greg.wehner @fox.com and Twitter @gregwehner.
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