Germans Charge American With Treason : Former Army Sergeant Accused of Selling Secrets to Communists

The federal prosecutor’s office today said it has charged a former U.S. Army sergeant with treason for allegedly running an international spy ring that sold secrets to Communist East Bloc agents.

The case of former U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Clyde Lee Conrad is the first time a foreign resident living in West Germany has been charged with treason, said Hans-Juergen Foerster, a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office.

Foerster said Conrad faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is convicted.

Conrad was arrested Aug. 23, 1988, on suspicion of heading a West German-based international spy ring with contacts in Sweden and Vienna.

In a statement today, Federal Prosecutor Kurt Rebmann said Conrad is charged with “grievous treason” for providing classified material to Hungarian military intelligence.

The indictment, dated Aug. 14, has been filed with the Superior State Court in Koblenz and also charges Conrad with “grievous treason in working as an agent for the Czechoslovak intelligence service.”

It said the former soldier provided military documents classified as secret and top secret to Communist agents, including material dealing with “nuclear operations.”

Conrad, a native of Sebring, Ohio, received at least $1.1 million for his work as a spy, the statement said.

Conrad, who retired after 20 years in the military, served with the Army from 1965 to September, 1985, and had resided in West Germany since his discharge.

The 42-year-old Conrad was in charge of the U.S. Army 8th Infantry Division’s classified document center during the majority of his time with the unit.

The prosecutor’s statement said Conrad received at least $1 Million from the Hungarians for his work as an agent and $100,000 from the Czechs.

A date for Conrad’s trial is to be announced later by the Koblenz Superior State Court, which will hear the case, the prosecutor’s office said.