Reality Winner, 26, was accused of taking a report about a 2016 Russian military intelligence cyberattack from the NSA facility where she worked and sending it to an online news outlet.
Winner initially faced 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but accepted a plea deal. A federal judge sentenced her to 63 months in prison with three years of supervised release.
The former US Air Force linguist wore an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs as she sat down in the Augusta, Georgia, courtroom Thursday morning. Winner cracked a small grin as she was comforted by one of her attorneys, who defended her character and emphasized she accepted responsibility for her actions.
“She’s a good person,” said attorney John Bell. “Someone who didn’t understand the magnitude of what she was doing.” Bell also…
