Ex-Army Colonel sentenced to 2 years for sending secret classified battle plans to woo woman

A retired Army colonel from Florida was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison after sharing classified military information with a woman he met online in an attempt to impress her.

Kevin Charles Luke, 62, a decorated combat veteran, was working in October 2024 as a civilian contractor with top-secret clearance at U.S. Central Command headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa when he sent the woman a photo of sensitive battle plans, according to court records.

In a text message, Luke wrote, “Sent to my boss earlier. Gives you a peek at what I do for a living,” alongside an image showing an email on his work computer. The email contained details about a planned military operation in the Middle East, including the timing, targets, and operational plans, prosecutors said.

The message was marked “SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY,” indicating it was restricted to authorized personnel within the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance — the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

About two months later, Luke ended his relationship with the woman, who subsequently reported the exchange to authorities. Federal agents later searched his home, according to his defense attorney, Mark O’Brien.

Luke, who served 37 years in the Army before retiring in 2018, pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of classified military strike plans. He told the court he shared the image to impress the woman, not for financial gain or as an act of disloyalty.

Court documents did not specify which operation the email referenced, but it was sent days before Central Command launched airstrikes in Yemen targeting Houthi forces.

In his sentencing memo, U.S. District Judge James Moody called Luke’s actions “deeply troubling,” noting that the disclosure involved a future military operation and potentially endangered service members.

Luke became emotional during Tuesday’s hearing. “I stand before you accepting full responsibility for my actions,” he said. “What I did was wrong. I violated the trust placed in me, and I am ashamed of that.”

Prosecutors had sought a four-year sentence, but Judge Moody imposed two years, citing the seriousness of the offense while also weighing Luke’s lengthy military service.

“This is a difficult sentencing,” Moody said.

With good behavior, Luke could serve about 15 months, O’Brien told reporters.

“In a moment of poor judgment, he sent a text photo of his work to a woman he was seeing,” O’Brien said. “There is no excuse for it. It was a split-second decision meant to impress someone, and he deeply regrets it.”