The RCMP began investigating a Halifax navy intelligence officer who later pleaded guilty to espionage after the FBI alerted them of a possible security breach, documents made public Thursday say.
Redacted versions of search warrants executed in the case of Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Paul Delisle, 41, were unsealed after the federal Crown consented to their release. The application to obtain the warrants was made by the CBC.
The warrants were used to obtain evidence against Delisle, who pleaded guilty last month to breach of trust and two charges of passing information to a foreign entity that could harm Canada's interests.
One of the documents says the RCMP opened an investigation into Delisle's activities after it received a letter from FBI assistant director Frank Figliuzzi notifying them of a possible security breach involving a Canadian military officer.
That letter was sent Dec. 2, 2011, about six weeks before Delisle was arrested.
"With this information, the RCMP's Integrated National Security Team opened an investigation," one of the documents unsealed Thursday says.
During his bail hearing in March, the provincial court in Halifax heard that Delisle walked into the Russian embassy in Ottawa and offered to sell them information. Over the course of nearly five years, Delisle accepted money transfers from Russia in exchange for his services, the court was told.
There was a publication ban on evidence and arguments presented at the proceedings in the spring. Sentencing is set for Jan. 10.
