Petraeus gets probation for leaking secrets to mistress

Rad Berky | WCNC-TV, Charlotte, N.C.

Show Caption Hide Caption David Petraeus ready to 'move on' after sentencing General David Petraeus, former CIA Director, thanked his supporters and apologized for his role in leaking information to his former lover in 2012. General Petraeus was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — David Petraeus, the retired four-star general leader who once commanded military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to leaking classified information to his mistress and biographer, Paula Broadwell, and was sentenced to two years probation and fined $100,000.

The sentence did not include any prison time, but the fine was $60,000 higher than the tentative terms reached in a plea deal two months ago.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler, who was not obliged to follow the plea agreement, said the larger fine was necessary "to promote respect for the law and adequate deterrence."

Petraeus pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of eight highly secret "black book" binders that he had improperly retained from his time as top military commander in Afghanistan.

Keesler asked Petraeus on Thursday if he was guilty of the misdemeanor. "I am," Petraeus replied, according to WBTV-TV.

The defense presented letters of support for leniency, including one from a former military aide.

"I'm honored and humbled by their words and support," the 62-year-old Petraeus told the court. "I want to apologize for the pain my actions caused."

In his presentation, the U.S. attorney called for a fair and just sentence but noted that mishandling sensitive secrets is a serious offense and a violation of the nation's trust. Moreover, the prosecutor said Petraeus "betrayed that trust then lied about it to the FBI."

Petraeus, who arrived an hour early for his court appearance wearing a dark blue suit, spoke briefly to the media afterward in front of the courthouse.

"Today marks a 2½-year ordeal because of mistakes I have made," he said. "I want to apologize for the pain my actions caused."

He also thanked his family, friends in and out of the military, and former colleagues for their support.

"I now look forward to moving on with the next phase of my life and to continue to serve our great nation as private citizen," he said.

As part of his deal, Petraeus agreed not to contest the set of facts laid out by the government.

The once widely celebrated military leader, who resigned as CIA director when the affair with Broadwell was exposed in 2012, was accused of giving her the material while she was working on his biography, All In: The Education of David Petraeus, which was published in 2012.

Both Petraeus and Broadwell, 42, publicly apologized over the scandal and said their romantic relationship began only after he had retired from the military. The general's wife, Holly, has supported him during the ordeal.

After resigning as head of the spy agency, Petraeus had signed a form falsely attesting he had no classified material, prosecutors said. He also lied to FBI agents by denying he supplied the classified information to Broadwell.

The FBI seized the binders, which Petraeus eventually recovered from Broadwell, in April 2013 in a search of Petraeus' home in Arlington, Va. The "black books" were found in an unlocked drawer of a desk in the ground-floor study.

The binders included, among other things, the names of covert operatives, coalition war strategy, and even notes about Petraeus' discussions with President Obama and the National Security Council, prosecutors said.

After the scandal broke, Petraeus initially maintained a low profile, taking positions at universities. He is now chairman of the KKR Global Institute, part of the private-equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

Petraeus also ha recently been serving as a consultant to the the National Security Council and Obama administration on matters related to Iraq and the Islamic State extremist group, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed Monday.

Under the terms of his probation, the retired general must get the approval of his probation officer before he can travel abroad.

Critics of the expected plea deal noted that CIA analyst John Kiriakou, the whistleblower who revealed the secret CIA torture program, is serving a 30-month sentence for leaking classified information.

"It's hard to reconcile cases like that, and it leads to the conclusion that senior officials are held to a different and more forgiving standard than others," said Steven Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists in Washington, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Broadwell, who lives with her husband and children in Dilworth, N.C., could face similar charges in the case.

Charlotte defense lawyer Claire Rauscher, who has no role in the case, said a five-year statute of limitations applies to the misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, but doesn't think Broadwell will be charged.

"The government hasn't pursued anything to date," Rauscher said. "I think it is highly unlikely she would be charged at this time."

Contributing: Douglas Stanglin in McLean, Va.; Donna Leinwand Leger in Washington; The Associated Press