Fort Bliss soldier charged with trying to give tank secrets to Russia

A U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas has been arrested for allegedly attempting to provide sensitive national defense information to Russia, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Taylor Adam Lee, 22, of El Paso, was taken into custody on charges of attempted transmission of national defense information and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license, the DOJ announced on Wednesday.

The FBI says Lee tried to share information on vulnerabilities of the M1A2 Abrams, the U.S. military’s main battle tank, with someone he believed was a Russian intelligence officer.

Lee, who holds a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance, allegedly began his efforts in May by offering assistance to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

In June, prosecutors say he transmitted export-controlled technical information on the Abrams tank online and expressed willingness to support Russia, stating: “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian Federation when I’m there in any way.”

In July, Lee allegedly met in person with the individual he believed was a Russian representative, passing along an SD card containing classified and sensitive documents related to U.S. armored vehicles and combat operations. Officials say Lee described the contents during the meeting, acknowledging the material was likely classified.

Later that month, Lee allegedly retrieved a specific component from an Abrams tank and left it in a storage unit in El Paso. He then messaged the contact: “Mission accomplished.”

“The defendant sought to transmit sensitive national defense information to Russia regarding the operation of the M1A2 Abrams,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg. “Such serious transgressions are met with serious consequences.”

The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command led the investigation. If convicted, Lee could face significant prison time.