In May 2015, Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA agent, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for leaking classified information about Iran's nuclear program to a journalist.

Sterling, 47, appeared before a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, near Washington.

Conviction and Charges

Sterling, who served as a CIA officer from 1993 to 2002, had been indicted in December 2010 and arrested in January 2011.

He was convicted of multiple charges, including the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and obstruction of justice.

The Leak

The charges stemmed from Sterling's disclosure of sensitive details about a CIA operation involving Iran’s nuclear program.

In 2003, he provided this information to James Risen, a journalist at The New York Times. The leaked material contributed to an article Risen intended to write and later appeared in a 2006 book authored by the journalist.

In 2017, Sterling's appeal was denied by the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which upheld his conviction and 42-month prison sentence.

During his incarceration at FCI Englewood, Sterling faced significant health challenges, including a severe heart condition.

In 2016, his wife expressed fears for his well-being, concerned that he might not survive his prison term due to inadequate medical care.

In April 2017, Sterling was placed in solitary confinement after an alleged altercation with an officer. During this period, he reportedly was denied medication for his heart condition and experienced a cardiac-related episode.

Sterling was released from prison in January 2018 after serving most of his sentence.

In October 2024, Sterling participated in the International Journalism Festival, highlighting his experiences and advocating for whistleblower protections.