Tennessee physicist sentenced to 4 years for sharing drone plans with foreign students

www.scientificamerican.com...

John Reece Roth, 71, a prominent plasma physicist was sentenced to four years in prison for 18 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud and violations of the Arms Export Control Act, after he allowed a Chinese graduate student to see sensitive information on Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones.

Very interesting, considering the tensions between the U.S. and North Korea going on right now.

Despite warnings from his University’s Export Control Officer, in 2006, he took a laptop containing sensitive plans with him on a lecture tour in China. He also allowed graduate students Xin Dai of China and Sirous Nourgostar of Iran to work on the project.

Im really not quite sure what to make of this. Could it be this professor is just an idiot that honestly didn't think of the consequences of sharing sensitive data to graduate students (Chinese and Iranian none the less), or if this is a true conspiracy against America?

If this guy is a true conspirator, Im sorry, 4 years doesnt even come close to what he deserves

[edit on 2-7-2009 by ZombieJesus]

[edit on 2-7-2009 by ZombieJesus]

[edit on 2-7-2009 by ZombieJesus]

thats.....thats absolutely moronic. even if it wasnt truly an attempt at conspiracy he deserves more than 4 years.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I come up with complete weapon systems all the time... I have no interest in building any of them... I deplore violence more than I do of criminals.
so if you want go ahead and build my idea...

reply to post by ELECTRICkoolaidZOMBIEtest


Tell me about it, this is truly disgusting, but then again, nothing new for America. Remember the whole Clinton/China scandal?

www.salon.com...

But still, this guy should be made an example of

Originally posted by ZombieJesus
reply to post by ELECTRICkoolaidZOMBIEtest

 

Remember the whole Clinton/China scandal?

www.salon.com...

But still, this guy should be made an example of

actual i dont remember that scandal...i dont...remember a lot of the 90's

but he should be made an example of. im not exactly sure how...but wouldnt this make him an official traitor? isnt the only punishment for that execution?

Well, I'm not really sure if he's an idiot, but what he did was definitely uncalled for. Releasing information to a student from China AND Iran?

I actually used to live in Knoxville, walking distance from UT, which is a bit unsettling.

Roth has been under investigation by authorities, including the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigation, since at least May 2006 when Roth traveled to China, where he had close ties to two Chinese universities.

www.knoxnews.com...


My question now would be, when did they give Mr. Roth this very valuable information? And if it was before May '06, how stupid could THEY be?