Earl Edwin Pitts

Born on September 23, 1953, Earl Edwin Pitts was a all-American, clean-cut citizen of the United States. Earl Edwin Pitts is a native of Urbana, Missouri, he has a Bachelors in Science Degree from Central Missouri State University, a Master's Degree from Webster College, and a law degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. He served in the Army from 1975 to 1980. As a law school graduate and retired Army Captain (1), Earl Edwin Pitts had dreamed of working for the Federal Bureau of Investigations for two reasons, first to protect the United States and second, as a means of escaping his small town Missouri roots. On September 18, 1983 Earl Edwin Pitts joined the Federal Bureau of Investigations as a Special Agent taking the solemn oath of office and promising to support and defend the Constitution of the United States as well as to protect the secret information accessed during his tenure at the Federal Bureau of Investigations however, less than four years later, a disgruntled and angry Earl Edwin Pitts entered into a conspiracy with the Soviet Union to betray his country. Earl Edwin Pitts was a thirteen year veteran of the Federal Bureau of Investigations when he was caught selling information to the United States’ largest adversary; nine of those years were as a double agent. (2)

Originally assigned the Federal Bureau of Investigations Field Office in Alexandria, Virginia, Earl Edwin Pitts investigated narcotics and small white collar crimes. Before long Earl Edwin Pitts was assigned to work as a member of a foreign Counter-Intelligence squad in New York City however, the transition to his new location was not easy and things went badly. He started to blame the Federal Bureau of Investigations for his reduced prospect...

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...ary 1997, Earl Edwin Pitts plead guilty on two counts of espionage. On 23 June, Earl Edwin Pitts was sentenced to 27 years in prison by a Federal judge who stated that the former agent was guilty of “the most egregious abuse of trust.” When asked why he spied, Pitts cited a number of grievances he had against the Federal Bureau of Investigations and stated that he “wanted to pay them back.” (12) This could have been prevented if the Federal Bureau of Investigations had a program similar to the Army’s TARP (Threat Awareness Reporting Program) to train fellow employees what to look for and how to report on espionage indicators. Another preventive measure would be to work with employees on job preferences to duty locations, If Earl Edwin Pitts would not have been transferred he would not have thought to get payback and the nations secrets would still be secure today.