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Former NSA contractor gets 5 years for leaking secret report

Prosecutors say its the longest sentence ever given for a federal crime involving leaks to the media.
Credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Reality Winner exits the Augusta Courthouse June 8, 2017 in Augusta, Georgia. Winner is an intelligence industry contractor accused of leaking National Security Agency (NSA) documents.

A Georgia woman who pleaded guilty to leaking a secret U.S. report has been sentenced to more than five years.

Reality Winner was sentenced Thursday by a federal judge in Augusta, Georgia. The 63-month sentence was in line with what was recommended by prosecutors, who said that would be the longest sentence ever given for a federal crime involving leaks to the news media.

In court, Winner apologized and acknowledged that what she did was wrong.

The 26-year-old former National Security Agency contractor was charged last year with copying a classified U.S. report and mailing it to an unidentified news organization.

Credit: Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Reality Winner exits the Augusta Courthouse June 8, 2017 in Augusta, Georgia. Winner is an intelligence industry contractor accused of leaking National Security Agency (NSA) documents.

Winner pleaded guilty June 26 to transmitting national security information.

Authorities didn't describe the leaked document. Winner's arrest was announced the same day online news outlet The Intercept reported on a classified NSA report on Russian hackers and the 2016 election.

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