Ex-Soldier Admits Guilt As Spy

A former U.S. Army clerk charged with spying for the Soviet Union 30 years ago pleaded guilty Friday, avoiding a public trial that might have compromised a secret government witness.

Robert S. Lipka, a coin collector and gambler, cried before pleading to one count of conspiracy to commit espionage.

Lipka, 51, had faced a possible death sentence, but in a plea agreement will be sentenced to no more than 18 years in prison and a $10,000 fine on Aug. 15.

The agreement also requires Lipka to sign over any book or movie proceeds to the government and to clear any public statements with government officials.

Lipka had previously threatened to reveal embarrassing government secrets on the Internet if his case were not dropped.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Cohan said she wanted to prosecute Lipka for selling top-secret documents to the KGB for $27,000 from 1965 to 1967. But factors such as concealing the identity of the witness took priority.

Lipka, who was trained as an intelligence analyst and once had top-secret security clearance, was accused on Feb. 23, 1996, of selling U.S. secrets while working for the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md.

Responsible for distributing and destroying classified documents, he was accused of photographing documents with cameras the Soviets provided and smuggling the film out of the building in his clothing. He received up to $1,000 each time he dropped the film off in a park, prosecutors said.