Gokhan Gun, an electrical engineer working with the Air Force, is alleged to have printed over 150 pages of classified government documents and attempted to flee the country for Mexico. He now faces charges of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.
Gokhan Gun, a 50-year-old electrical engineer working with the Air Force, has been arrested and charged with unauthorized removal and retention of classified material. Prosecutors allege that Gun printed over 150 pages of "top secret" government documents before attempting to flee the country for Mexico.
According to Fox 5 DC, Gun, a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States, was apprehended on Friday as he was about to board a flight to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The arrest came after FBI agents executed search warrants on Gun and his two homes in northern Virginia.
Air Force Engineer Accused of Stealing Top Secret Documents for Mexico Escape
During the searches, agents discovered a backpack containing "TOP SECRET" documents outside one of Gun's homes. They also found stacks of classified documents, including some marked as Top Secret and SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information), in the dining room of his other residence.
Investigators believe that Gun printed the classified documents without authorization on several occasions since May. They also observed him leaving his workplace in August with a bag full of hard copy documents, which he then transported to his homes in Fairfax and Falls Church, Virginia.
Air Force Engineer Accused of Stealing Top Secret Documents for Mexico Escape
Court documents allege that Gun provided false information to FBI agents, including claiming that he had never taken any classified documents home and that any such documents in his possession had "expired."
Prosecutors have requested that Gun be detained due to concerns that he is a flight risk, citing his international travel history and his family's residence in Turkey. The contractor's public defender, however, argued that Gun was simply planning a fishing trip to Mexico and is not a flight risk.
Air Force Engineer Accused of Stealing Top Secret Documents for Mexico Escape
If convicted, Gun could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Government officials have indicated plans to file additional felony charges against him.
Investigators have not disclosed the specific contents of the classified documents that Gun allegedly stole. However, the incident raises concerns about the security of highly sensitive government information and the potential for insider threats within the military.
Air Force Engineer Accused of Stealing Top Secret Documents for Mexico Escape
