Air Force Veteran Who Defected To Iran Charged With Espionage 

An Air Force veteran and former intelligence officer has been charged with spying for Iran, reports the Stars and Stripes. 

Prosecutors unsealed federal espionage charges against Monica Elfriede Witt on Tuesday. 

Witt, 39, passed classified information to Iranian officials, including the identities of U.S. intelligence personnel, the Justice Dept. said. She also created target packages for Iran to use against U.S. agents and counterintelligence officials, reported CNN. 

The indictment also charges four Iranians with conspiracy, attempts to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identity theft, which stemmed from information provided by Witt, reported Fox News. 

The El Paso native served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2003 as a language analyst, focusing on Persian-Farsi language communications. In 2003, she moved into special investigations, focusing on criminal, fraud and counterintelligence missions. 

She later worked as an intelligence contractor supporting the Army and the Air Force as a subject matter expert. 

Witt defected to Iran in 2013 and remains at large, said the Justice Dept. 

Officials believe her defection was ideologically motivated. Information she possesses could cause serious damage to U.S. national security, they said.