Former NSA employee Jareh Sebastian Dalke has been sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for attempting to sell classified documents to an individual he believed to be a Russian agent.

Dalke pleaded guilty to six counts of attempting to transmit classified documents and demanded $85,000 for the information, but was actually in contact with an FBI online covert employee.

Dalke admitted his intent to harm the United States and benefit Russia, and was arrested after transferring the classified files.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray highlighted the severity of Dalke's betrayal and the FBI's role in thwarting the leak.

U.S. District Judge Raymond Moore described the sentence as 'mercy,' noting the act was nearly tantamount to treason, while the defense cited Dalke's mental health issues as a factor for leniency.

Despite defense arguments, Dalke acknowledged he sold the secrets for financial gain and excitement, ultimately receiving $16,499 in cryptocurrency for excerpts of sensitive documents that threatened U.S. national security.