Apr 23, 2015

USA Today: Petraeus gets 2-year probation for leaking secrets to his mistress - April 23, 2015

Then-Gen. David Petraeus, left, shakes hands
with Paula Broadwell, co-author of "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus" in a photo made available in July 2011 on the International Security Assistance Force's Flickr website. (Photo: AP)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — David Petraeus, the retired four-star general leader who once commanded military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to leaking classified information to his mistress and biographer, Paula Broadwell, and was sentenced to two years probation and fined $40,000.

The sentence, which followed the terms of a plea deal reached two months ago, did not include any prison time.

Petraeus pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of eight highly secret "black book" binders that he had improperly retained from his time as top military commander in Afghanistan, WCNC-TV reported.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Keesler, who was not obliged to accept the terms of the plea deal, asked Petraeus on Thursday if he was guilty of the misdemeanor.

"I am," Petraeus replied, according to WBTV-TV.

Petraeus, wearing a dark blue suit, arrived an hour early for his court appearance and told reporters he would make a statement after the hearing.