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ELKINS, W.Va. (AP) - A Jefferson County man accused of illegally possessing secret United States government documents was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Elkins.
The one-count indictment alleges that Lawrence Anthony Franklin, 58, willfully retained classified documents at his Kearneysville home.
A search of the home last June turned up 83 such documents from the Pentagon, where Franklin works as an analyst.
His lawyer has said Franklin had the documents in his home because he was preparing to interview for a government position.
The FBI contends that Franklin, who has been a member of the Department of Defense since 1979, was authorized to carry classified documents in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., but not in West Virginia.
If convicted, Franklin faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
He has also been indicted in federal court in Alexandria, Va., on six charges that he leaked classified military information to employees of a pro-Israel lobbying organization and an Israeli official.
Franklin has pleaded not guilty to those charges and faces trial Sept. 6.
The Air Force Reserve colonel holds a doctorate in Asian studies.
He has taught history courses at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown for the past five years.
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