COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — A former National Security Agency employee faced a federal judge on the accusation of attempting to transmit classified information to a representative of a foreign government.

Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 30, was employed by the government agency from June 6 – July 1, 2022, as an information systems security designer. A release from the NSA says, in part, “According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, between August and September 2022, Dalke used an encrypted email account to transmit excerpts of three classified documents he had obtained during his employment to an individual Dalke believed to be working for a foreign government. In actuality, that person was an undercover FBI agent.”

The affidavit says Dalke began encrypted email communications with the undercover FBI agent on July 29 offering classified information in return for a specific type of cryptocurrency. Dalke allegedly sent the agent excerpts from three classified documents – one labeled secret and two labeled top secret – in order to prove he actually had access to these documents.

The agent provided Dalke with the payment and Dalke then requested another $85,000 for additional information, the release said. Dalke told the agent he was still employed by the NSA, even though he wasn’t and that he could get more classified information once he was back in Washington D.C.

Dalke agreed to send more information using a secure connection set up by the FBI at a public location in Denver, and that’s where he was arrested on Sept. 28.

Dalke is charged with three violations of the Espionage Act which can carry a sentence of death or any term of years up to life.