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White House Spy Sentenced to 10 Years

July 18, 2007 2:44 PM

Whitehousespy_mn The former Marine at the center of the first case of espionage at the White House in modern history was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday for stealing and passing on top secret documents.

"There's no doubt you did betray a position of trust that very few people are privileged to occupy," U.S. District Judge William H. Walls said to the spy, Leandro Aragoncillo, at the hearing.

Aragoncillo, a former U.S. Marine who worked in the White House and then for the FBI, pleaded guilty to four espionage charges last May, the most serious of which -- conspiracy to transmit national defense information -- could have carried the death penalty.

But under his plea agreement, Aragoncillo faced 15 to 20 years in prison heading into today's hearing in federal court in New Jersey. Judge Walls accepted a motion citing Aragoncillo's cooperation with the investigation to deliver a sentence below that range.

"Aragoncillo took the most solemn of oaths as a U.S. Marine and FBI analyst to protect his country and its security," U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said at the time Aragoncillo pleaded guilty. "His betrayal is profound and a disservice to his country and all the men and women in military and security positions around the globe who take the oath and serve with honor and integrity."

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Aragoncillo worked at the White House for almost three years under both Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dick Cheney. Following his retirement from the Marines, he worked as an FBI intelligence analyst at the Fort Monmouth Information Technology Center in New Jersey.

According to court papers, Aragoncillo, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in the Philippines, used his top secret clearance to steal classified documents off White House and FBI computers. 

He was accused of passing those documents -- some of which were damaging dossiers on the president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo -- onto opposition politicians planning a coup in the Pacific nation.

As first reported by ABC News' Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross, Aragoncillo was recruited to spy during a July 2000 state visit to the Clinton White House by then-Filipino President Joseph Estrada.

Officials told ABC News Estrada and his aides enticed Aragoncillo, who was half a million dollars in debt, with small amounts of money and appeals to ethnic loyalties. Court papers also said Aragoncillo demanded the Filipino officials find jobs for his relatives living in the Pacific nation.

Even after Estrada was forced out of office for corruption,  authorities say Aragoncillo continued to funnel secret documents to him in an apparent attempt to start a coup.

Aragoncillo was arrested in September 2005 after trying to access a computer outside of his clearance.

One of his co-conspirators, Michael Ray Aquino, a former officer of the Philippine National Police who resided in Queens, N.Y., was sentenced to six years and four months for taking U.S. secret documents from Aragoncillo in an effort to undermine the Philippine government.

"I am sorry for what I did," Aquino, who had pleaded guilty one year ago to spare himself a life sentence, said at his hearing Tuesday. "I never had the intention to harm the United States. I love this country."

Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?

July 18, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (25)

User Comments

What a butthead...ha ha

Posted by: Jazz | Jul 18, 2007 2:54:21 PM

HM. I wonder if Bush will commute his sentance also, or does he only do that for friends.

Posted by: Tammy Stickers | Jul 18, 2007 3:07:25 PM

I have husband fighting for his country in the Phillipines and to see someone who is suppose to be on our side is compromising his and others safety is disheartening. I can't believe he got off w/ what he did!!

Posted by: mar | Jul 18, 2007 3:13:45 PM

When he gets out of prison, present him with a discharge downgraded to dishonorable, naturalization papers stamped "VOID", and a one-way plane ticket to the Philippines.

Posted by: Ed | Jul 18, 2007 3:28:39 PM

"...Aragoncillo, who was half a million dollars in debt..."

How does someone in a sensitive position get to that level of debt and not set off any alarms? There should've been something in place to help identify people going into excessive debt while also entrusted with a security clearance, so our security could be protected/preserved by their removal from their position until they're not a potential liability any more.

Posted by: Zacamjo | Jul 18, 2007 3:43:32 PM

How did we elect the trash we have had in the White House over the last 20 years or so...?

Posted by: luis rodriguez | Jul 18, 2007 4:35:30 PM

Very good. The law determines that the border guards who shot the illegal mexican drug smuggler in the rear end get 12 years, yet this looser gets 10. What a country!

Posted by: mojo | Jul 18, 2007 4:56:37 PM

So I suppose this means Bush and Cheney should get something like 400 years for what they have done....

Posted by: Baily | Jul 18, 2007 4:58:32 PM

Another Clinton hire, like Sandy Berger was...good thing the Bush Administration caught him.

Posted by: General Jack Ripper | Jul 18, 2007 5:11:16 PM

This man should be put under a firing squad! Isnt this treason? this country is messed up

Posted by: dirka dirka | Jul 18, 2007 6:08:33 PM

I owed about 8,000 in credit card debt from before I joined the military and my clearance was pulled. The higher up's knew this was going on. $500,000
and in the white house? come on!

Posted by: P | Jul 18, 2007 6:58:52 PM

The only thing this man is sorry for, is getting caught.

Posted by: Jazz_jeff | Jul 18, 2007 9:56:13 PM

How ironic and tragic that Aragoncillo's dirty deeds took place in the White House under both Democractic and GOP administrations! And "We the people" are supposed to believe that no one was aware of this man's financial dilemma??? No one suspected that he was a risk??? As for our illustrious leaders, their "betrayal is profound and a disservice to his country and all the men and women in military and security positions around the globe who take the oath and serve with honor and integrity."

Posted by: Lizzie | Jul 19, 2007 5:59:45 AM

No wonder they can't catch crap - they're so blinded by crooks they don't even see it comin. Yes - what is this country coming to???

Amazing that someone can get life in prison for violating parole after he was caught smoking marijuana (was a reported story last year), but yet this guy could've killed thousands and thousands and he gets 10 yrs - what is that?????????????

I think the judicial system needs a major overall. Lord forbid!

Posted by: LL | Jul 19, 2007 6:59:47 AM

It's amazing how some people immediately point fingers and say, "Look what Clinton did!" and "Clinton hired him, its all his fault." Geez.. you right wingers really need to get out of your mom's basement once and a while. This had nothing to do with Clinton or Bush for once but you would think that with this 'War on terr-er' they would have upped the surveillance within the White House.

Posted by: Greg | Jul 19, 2007 8:39:20 AM

He became U.S. citizen not becaue he loves this country but his own sake. His belly was in this country but his heart was in phillipines whole time. He should be deported to phillipines when he gets out of prison.

Posted by: psam115 | Jul 20, 2007 3:47:17 AM

....whats the big deal..a crook/
or spy in this administration fits
like hand'n glove...in a way it 's
surprising that Rove or Cheney
didn't recruit him as one of their
r own!

Posted by: micha | Jul 21, 2007 6:35:47 PM

TEN YEARS???? What happened to tough on crime? I'm a liberal and think this just isn't enough considering.

Posted by: Sandra | Jul 22, 2007 11:13:20 AM

Let me see if I understand. We have a boy in GA serving 10 years for consentual oral sex. This guy does this to our country and gets the same. Somebody caught spying should go away for life. At the least.

Posted by: Sandra | Jul 22, 2007 11:23:24 AM

I imagine when GW leaves office and godforbid a dem gets elected who will they blame when we get hit again because we will. I am sure it will be GW. With all his faults and he has many at least the central focus is the defense of America. It seems most politicians only concern is there reelection prospects first and then Americas defense if that is even on there radar. Global warming seems to take priority for these idiots than possably getting nuked.

Posted by: mike | Jul 25, 2007 3:27:42 PM

The U.S. justice system is out of whack. How can a boy in GA be sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual contact with a fellow teenager get the same sentence as a traitor? I think all states should have the same sentencing guidelines...I call for an across the board revision that would closly mirror that of the federal court system.

Posted by: Tyrone | Jul 26, 2007 2:14:37 PM

Hey Sandra next time you write into a blog that many people will be reading your comments, how about you spell check? I'm sure you thought you were correct in your elaborate grammer.

Global warming effects the entire world . You probably don't even know anyone that was killed on September 11. I do because I was there. It is time you start to see what is really going on: no WMD found in Iraq and Iraq was not responsible for 9/11. Bush/Fox News had you believe that Iraq and 9/11 were synonymous.

Posted by: Matt | Jul 27, 2007 10:15:01 AM

Very unexcusable, but for those making comments about his patriotism - he did serve 20 yrs in the USMC. Most of those making comments can't do 20 days. It was likely his debt that caused his action. His action was 1st based on selfishness and had little regards to national security. IMO, 10 years was too light - must have been a registered repuppetican ;)

Posted by: alex | Jul 27, 2007 11:42:53 PM

The nerve, the outrage, betraying secrets endangering the lives of men and women of the US military and Intelligence services, who does he think he is! Karl Rove? Scooter Libby?

Posted by: Michael | Jul 29, 2007 9:04:58 PM

I served with this bag of crap in Iwakuni, Japan from 1986 - 1988! I was Court-Martialled and discharged because of some of the #### he did and got away with. Anyway..... Karma is a #####! Ten years is just the beginning.

Posted by: stephen saunders | May 22, 2008 9:31:45 PM

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