Recently, the FBI conducted a sting operation as part of an espionage investigation. The suspect was Bryan Martin. Martin enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

There, he had high-level military security clearance that gave him access to a wide variety of classified and top-secret documents through the use of various military computer systems.

The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a department of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). It is JSOC’s responsibility to study special operations requirements and techniques to ensure that the military’s diverse array of technical systems will operate together.













The Command is also involved in equipment standardization, planning and conducting special operations training, and developing Joint Special Operations Tactics.

In a statement given to the FBI, Martin confessed that he was looking for long term financial compensation for his actions. On three different occasions, Martin thought that he was selling the American secrets to a Chinese representative. In actuality, Martin was attempting to sell these secrets to an undercover FBI agent.

Martin stated to the undercover agent that he could become a valuable asset because he was willing to compromise his position and sell any available secrets over the next 30 years of his career. He was so bold, that Martin did not even bother to change out of his Naval Uniform when meeting with the undercover agents. To make the sting a success, the FBI paid Martin $1500 for some of these “secrets” on two separate occasions.

After the arrest was made, the FBI released a statement attempting to reassure the public that no American secrets were compromised. However, the FBI did not disclose how Martin’s attempts at treason were discovered and if he was able to sell off any other American secrets to China prior to the sting operation.

Originally published on TopSecretWriters.com