A state court convicted an American sociologist on Friday of spying for former East Germany and sentenced him to 18 months in jail, then freed him on three years probation.
Jeffrey Schevitz, 55, admitted spying for the communist Stasi intelligence agency but claimed he was working as a double agent for the CIA when he handed over former West German nuclear information from 1977 through 1990.The court also fined Schevitz, ordering him to pay $10,500 to a charity for the disabled. In addition, prosecutors said he was liable for court costs of about $7,100.
Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 31/2 years. They said Schevitz received $23,000 while he was working for the Stasi, but they admitted the information he gave them was of little value.
In his closing plea, Schevitz broke into tears and begged the court's mercy. He said he did what he did to "prevent war in Europe."
Schevitz and his 40-year-old wife, Beatrice Altman, told the court they were hired to work for the CIA by Shepard Stone, a U.S. diplomat who died in 1990.
Schevitz later told the court he had seven CIA contact officers, prompting Chief Judge Helmut Holzapfel admonish him for repeatedly changing his story.
The CIA in Washington and Stone's widow both denied Stone had anything to do with Schevitz.
"He was an agent for idealistic reasons," Holzapfel said. "In Schevitz's favor was the fact that he admitted at least in part his guilt."
Charges against Altman for helping to spy were dropped after she agreed to pay a $7,100 fine.