University of Tennessee emeritus professor J. Reece Roth was sentenced by a US federal judge to four years in prison on July 1 for violating US law regarding the protection of sensitive technology in his work on an Air Force research project related to unmanned aerial vehicles. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported July 2 that Roth, 71, is now awaiting the US Bureau of Prisons’ decision on where he will serve his time and is also mulling an appeal. Roth was convicted in September 2008 on 18 counts of conspiracy, fraud, and violating the Arms Export Control Act for the unlawful transfer of sensitive data to foreign nationals from 2004 to 2006 while he was researching plasma guidance for UAVs under two Air Force-sponsored projects. Roth has always maintained his innocence.
President Donald Trump on July 4 signed into law $150 billion in defense funds as part of the tax-and-spending package known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” after congressional Republicans approved the legislation in narrow, drawn-out votes earlier this week.