Former Fort Bragg 82nd Airborne member Brandon Tyner accused of spying for Russia, arrested in U.K.

The 41-year-old soldier was arrested Tuesday near Gloucester as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation, the Metropolitan Police said FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- A U.S. soldier who officials say was entrusted with sensitive information has been arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of spying for Russia, according to British and U.S. officials.

The Details

The soldier was arrested Tuesday near Gloucester as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation, the Metropolitan Police said.

Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, who leads U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, described the man as a "senior soldier," saying in a statement that the arrest is "a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent."

Lt. Col. Brandon Carroll Tyner, 41, is the accused soldier being investigated, ABC News learned. Tyner has ties to Fort Bragg and served with the 82nd Airborne Division from 2011 to 2013.

Tyner was arrested on suspicion of violating offenses under the U.K.'s National Security Act of 2023, which is a series of laws pertaining to espionage and countering foreign interference, British authorities said.

"The country to which the allegations relate is Russia," British authorities said in a statement.

He faces charges from both British authorities and the U.S. Army, a source familiar with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News. It's unclear what specific charges he could face, but American military court charges related to espionage can carry sentences up to life imprisonment if convicted.

"This is certainly very concerning. He would have received nonstop counterintelligence briefings because we know that Russia would want to penetrate this unit, and if he did this is a serious, significant action by the FBI and our counterparts in the U.K," said Mick Mulroy, an ABC News contributor and national security analyst.

Mulroy said the case is concerning because Russia would seek to penetrate the unit. The FBI and its British counterparts are involved, he said.

FAA ground stop live updates: What to know as nationwide flights are grounded Weekend Freeze and Frost Alerts The arrest "involves allegations of espionage, which is of the utmost concern to the United States and our allies," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.

The Kremlin's press secretary has denied the allegations.

What we know about Tyner

Tyner joined the Army in January 2008, according to his service record provided by the service.

He deployed to Iraq from December 2019 to July 2020, to Qatar from July 2016 to July 2017, and to Afghanistan from December 2013 to December 2014.

Tyner, an Afghanistan war veteran, has held numerous high-profile personnel assignments throughout his Army career, according to a LinkedIn account matching his name. British law enforcement officials said the investigation involves suspected violations of the National Security Act of 2023, a law aimed at combating espionage and foreign interference.

Tyner was assigned to Imjin Barracks in the United Kingdom, a military garrison that is home to the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Response Corps, which manages plans for ground troops in case of a crisis.

It remains unclear what Tyner is accused of doing. He is expected to be formally charged by British authorities in the coming days and subsequently face separate charges from the U.S. Army, according to a source familiar with the matter.

U.S. troops convicted of crimes in allied countries can serve prison sentences abroad before facing separate prosecution in the American military justice system. That could mean a second trial and, if convicted, an additional sentence in a U.S. military prison.

U.S. troops convicted of espionage-related crimes have often been junior or mid-level service members, according to Army data, with financial gain a common motive. Cases involving senior officers are less common, and those ranks typically have greater access to sensitive military information that could be particularly valuable to foreign adversaries, though it's unclear what specific information Tyner had access to.

ABC News has been unable to reach Tyner. It is unclear whether he has retained a lawyer.

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