Maryland Couple Accused of Selling Submarine Secrets Appear in Court

Politics|Maryland Couple Accused of Selling Submarine Secrets Appear successful Court

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Maryland mates accused of attempting to merchantability immoderate of America’s astir intimately guarded atomic submarine secrets made their archetypal quality successful tribunal since they were arrested implicit the weekend.

The couple, Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, were accused of selling atomic propulsion secrets to an undercover F.B.I. serviceman during a bid of dormant drops implicit the people of this twelvemonth featuring representation cards hidden successful peanut food sandwiches, gum packages and Band-Aid wrappers.

The mates were some charged with connection of restricted information and conspiracy to pass restricted data, charges that could pb to beingness successful prison. Neither of them was asked to participate a plea during their abbreviated appearances.

The proceeding successful national tribunal successful Martinsburg, W.Va., for Jonathan Toebbe was implicit successful 5 minutes. The magistrate judge, Robert W. Trumble, said Mr. Toebbe qualified for a court-appointed lawyer and acceptable 2 hearings: 1 connected Friday for a proceeding connected his continued detention and a preliminary proceeding successful the lawsuit for adjacent week.

Mr. Toebbe, wearing a disguise to support against Covid-19, sat successful an orangish situation leap suit. A erstwhile naval officer, helium had close-cropped subject haircut, and responded to the justice successful a clear, unwavering voice.

Ms. Toebbe, with abbreviated graying hairsbreadth and besides wearing an orangish jumpsuit, was brought successful second, aft her hubby had near the courtroom. They were not capable to spot each other. They person 2 school-age children.

She excessively was granted support for a court-appointed lawyer. The tribunal acceptable akin detention and preliminary proceeding dates for her.

The Justice Department has sought the continued detention of some Jonathan Toebbe, a atomic propulsion adept who aft leaving the subject worked for the U.S. Navy arsenic a civilian, and his wife, a past and English teacher, saying they were formation risks due to the fact that they look beingness sentences if convicted.

The archetypal dormant driblet of accusation wherever the F.B.I. archetypal identified the Toebbes took spot successful West Virginia, which is wherefore the authorities brought charges there.

Jonathan Toebbe could look much than 15 years successful situation should helium determine to plead guilty, based connected akin cases wherever authorities scientists person tried to merchantability undercover secrets to a overseas power.

The lawsuit has sent waves of disorder done Annapolis, Md., wherever they lived, and the backstage schoolhouse wherever Ms. Toebbe taught.

Friends of Jonathan Toebbe person struggled to quadrate the devoted begetter and organized idiosyncratic they knew with the representation presented successful tribunal documents of a sloppy amateur spy.

Ms. Toebbe was a teacher and yearbook advisor with a devoted pursuing among students and graduates who admired her fierce feminism and progressive outlook.

Kitty Bennett contributed research.