A Minnesota National Guardsman has been arrested and charged with stealing names, Social Security numbers and security clearance levels from about 400 of his comrades in arms at his former Army unit in Fort Bragg, N.C.
The Associated Press reported that Keith Michael Novak, 25, faces federal prosecution for fraud over the allegations. The veteran of the Iraq War was accused of taking the private information in order to make fake IDs for his fellow militia members, court documents say, AP reported. Mr. Novak also reportedly told an undercover FBI agent that he had “5,000 rounds, a thousand of it … in magazines, ready to go,” and would barricade himself in his apartment if authorities tried to apprehend him, the report said.
Mr. Novak served on active duty as an intelligence analyst with the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg between Feb. 26, 2009, and Sept. 3, 2012, serving in Iraq in 2010, AP reported. He currently serves as a human intelligence analyst with the National Guard.
Two undercover FBI officials posed as members of a militia in Utah in January. Mr. Novak allegedly told them that he stole the classified information from Fort Bragg and that he would share it with them, AP reported. A few months later, the FBI agents said he did just that — when they traveled to Minnesota to meet with him, AP reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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