Document Leak Case Goes To Jury Student Charged With Stealing From Hanford Firm

The case of a former nuclear-medicine research company employee accused of possessing stolen documents went to a Kittitas County Superior Court jury late Friday afternoon.

Randall Bonebrake, a 29-year-old Central Washington University student, is accused of possessing documents belonging to Advanced Nuclear Medicine Systems.

Prosecutors contend Bonebrake illegally leaked controversial details of the Richland company’s plans to restart the Fast Flux Test Facility at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation for private use in producing tritium and, later, medical isotopes.

In addition to first-degree possession of stolen property, Bonebrake also was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On the final day of testimony Friday, Bonebrake admitted to smoking marijuana, leaving jurors with the stolen property charge.

In closing arguments, Ken Beckley, Bonebrake’s lawyer, told jurors the documents dispute is a civil matter and did not belong in criminal court.

“Just because something goes bad between two or more people in a business venture doesn’t mean a crime has been committed,” Beckley said.

Bonebrake’s failure to make business contacts or generate investment capital for ANMS amounts to a breach of contract, not a crime, he said.

Bonebrake on Thursday testified that he got involved with ANMS to help the fledgling company gain contacts in political and financial arenas. Bonebrake said he was given full access to the documents in question to further his understanding of the company.

The papers, which detailed plans by ANMS to try to import surplus German plutonium to power the FFTF reactor, were leaked to the environmental group Greenpeace.