Abraham Teklu Lemma, 53, of Maryland, a former government contractor, pleaded guilty on Nov. 3 to conspiring to transmit national defense information to the Ethiopian government, the Justice Department said. His plea agreement calls for 120 to 262 months in prison.
That is 10 years at the low end and nearly 22 at the high end, a calculation from the months in the plea, and a judge decides at sentencing on April 14, 2027 whether to accept the range. The plea settles what Lemma did and leaves a 12-year spread on how long he serves.
What Lemma Admitted Taking
Lemma held a Top Secret clearance and worked as an IT administrator, the Justice Department said. He used that access to take classified information from secure federal facilities and to pass it to Ethiopian government officials, the release says. Over several years he took dozens of documents, notes, materials and photographs classified up to Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information, much of it about an armed conflict in Ethiopia.
He took the material out two ways, according to the release. He wrote classified notes by hand and carried them out of secure facilities, and he copied electronic classified files from government repositories. He also took steps to conceal what he was doing.
What Prosecutors Said About the Plea
Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the National Security Division said Lemma “betrayed the United States to an extraordinary degree.” Eisenberg said Lemma hoped Ethiopian officials would use the information against paramilitary fighters in a regional conflict.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the District of Columbia said Lemma exploited a position of trust for more than two years and that the plea sends a message that those who compromise sensitive secrets will be held accountable.
What Happens at Sentencing
The plea agreement sets a sentencing range, and the court decides whether to accept it. The case moves to sentencing on April 14, 2027.
