A judge sentenced Kevin Charles Luke of Parrish, Florida, to two years in federal prison.
TAMPA, Fla. — A retired U.S. Army Officer and CENTCOM employee will serve two years in federal prison for sending classified national defense information to a woman he met online.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, 62-year-old Kevin Charles Luke sent a photo of a classified email containing details of a planned U.S. military operation via text message.
Luke reportedly sent the picture from his personal cellphone in October 2024, along with a message that read “sent to my boss earlier, gives you a peek at what I do for a living.”
The email was sent using a government address intended for classified communications. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Luke knew his personal cellphone was not authorized to store or transmit the information, and that the woman was not authorized to receive it.
Luke retired from the U.S. Army in June 2018 with the rank of Colonel. At the time of the incident, he was working as a civilian employee at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa.
Last year, Luke pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized communication of information relating to the national defense.