Andrew Daulton Lee
Encyclopedia
Andrew Daulton Lee is an American who was convicted of espionage for his involvement in the spying activities of his childhood friend, Christopher Boyce.
Lee was the adopted eldest son of Dr. Daulton Lee, a wealthy California physician. His lifelong friendship with Boyce led him into espionage activities after Boyce, a code clerk employed with the large US defense contractor, TRW
(headquartered in the Los Angeles
community of Redondo Beach
), began stealing classified documents detailing how to decrypt secure US government message traffic and detailed specifications of the latest US spy satellites with the intention of delivering them to agents of the Soviet Union. With Boyce's stolen documents, Lee traveled to Mexico City
, where he delivered them to Soviet embassy officials. Lee often also would use these trips as an opportunity to engage in drug deals when not working on espionage. A common tactic of Lee's drug smuggling was to learn of airline routes, where he would fly from Mexico to the United States, hiding the drugs inside a compartment of the plane (mainly the airline restroom), purchasing a ticket to whichever destination the same airplane was scheduled, then recapturing the drug stash after disembarking at the new destination.
Lee and Boyce made an agreement to evenly split the profits from the espionage ring. Boyce had used his share mainly for his personal use. Lee used his split of the profits to further his drug business, purchasing more expensive drugs, such as heroin, and being able to gain tremendous profits by selling the expensive, hard-to-obtain drugs in the United States. At one meeting with his Soviet handlers, Lee proposed that they assist him in his drug trade by transporting cocaine from Peru to the Soviet embassy in Mexico under diplomatic seal
. At points when Boyce was doubting the effectiveness of his espionage, Lee had convinced him that the spy ring should expand. Lee had proposed adding his younger brother as an alternate courier, as well as recruiting a friend who was a US Navy sailor aboard an aircraft carrier
, and having a fellow drug dealer be brought into the spy ring to sell the same intelligence reports to other foreign nations, namely China
. Lee did indeed (behind Boyce's back) make copies of the reports with the intention of selling them to the Chinese.
In December 1976 Lee (with top secret microfilm in his possession) was arrested by Mexican police in front of the Soviet embassy on the misplaced suspicion of having killed a Mexico City
police officer. Under torture he confessed instead to espionage, quickly implicating Boyce in the scheme. Lee was returned to the United States, where he was convicted of espionage. He was sentenced to life in prison and moved to the federal penitentiary in Lompoc, California
. Boyce received a sentence of 40 years. Lee's heavier sentence for the same offense was likely due to his prior criminal record
. While imprisoned Lee lost access to drugs and had no choice but to sober up from his drug addictions. And after a period of withdrawal
, Lee ended his drug dependency. When Boyce escaped from prison in 1980, Lee was immediately remanded to another facility in Marion, Illinois
, a move that caused the end of their friendship.
Lee was portrayed by actor Sean Penn
in director John Schlesinger
's 1985 movie The Falcon and the Snowman
, based on the book of the same name by Robert Lindsey
. Lee's drug-dealing earned him the nickname "The Snowman," while Boyce's interest in falconry
won him his own sobriquet. Boyce was played in the film by actor Timothy Hutton
.
Lee was released on parole in 1998. Kathryn Mills, an activist who had worked towards earning Lee parole, turned her attention towards the release of Boyce following Lee's freedom and eventually married Boyce. At some point after his release, Lee was hired by Sean Penn
to be Penn's personal assistant.
Lee was the adopted eldest son of Dr. Daulton Lee, a wealthy California physician. His lifelong friendship with Boyce led him into espionage activities after Boyce, a code clerk employed with the large US defense contractor, TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
(headquartered in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
community of Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
), began stealing classified documents detailing how to decrypt secure US government message traffic and detailed specifications of the latest US spy satellites with the intention of delivering them to agents of the Soviet Union. With Boyce's stolen documents, Lee traveled to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, where he delivered them to Soviet embassy officials. Lee often also would use these trips as an opportunity to engage in drug deals when not working on espionage. A common tactic of Lee's drug smuggling was to learn of airline routes, where he would fly from Mexico to the United States, hiding the drugs inside a compartment of the plane (mainly the airline restroom), purchasing a ticket to whichever destination the same airplane was scheduled, then recapturing the drug stash after disembarking at the new destination.
Lee and Boyce made an agreement to evenly split the profits from the espionage ring. Boyce had used his share mainly for his personal use. Lee used his split of the profits to further his drug business, purchasing more expensive drugs, such as heroin, and being able to gain tremendous profits by selling the expensive, hard-to-obtain drugs in the United States. At one meeting with his Soviet handlers, Lee proposed that they assist him in his drug trade by transporting cocaine from Peru to the Soviet embassy in Mexico under diplomatic seal
Diplomatic bag
A diplomatic bag, also known as a diplomatic pouch is a kind of receptacle used by diplomatic missions. The physical concept of a "diplomatic bag" is flexible and therefore can take many forms e.g. an envelope, parcel, large suitcase or shipping container, etc...
. At points when Boyce was doubting the effectiveness of his espionage, Lee had convinced him that the spy ring should expand. Lee had proposed adding his younger brother as an alternate courier, as well as recruiting a friend who was a US Navy sailor aboard an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, and having a fellow drug dealer be brought into the spy ring to sell the same intelligence reports to other foreign nations, namely China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Lee did indeed (behind Boyce's back) make copies of the reports with the intention of selling them to the Chinese.
In December 1976 Lee (with top secret microfilm in his possession) was arrested by Mexican police in front of the Soviet embassy on the misplaced suspicion of having killed a Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
police officer. Under torture he confessed instead to espionage, quickly implicating Boyce in the scheme. Lee was returned to the United States, where he was convicted of espionage. He was sentenced to life in prison and moved to the federal penitentiary in Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
. Boyce received a sentence of 40 years. Lee's heavier sentence for the same offense was likely due to his prior criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
. While imprisoned Lee lost access to drugs and had no choice but to sober up from his drug addictions. And after a period of withdrawal
Withdrawal
Withdrawal can refer to any sort of separation, but is most commonly used to describe the group of symptoms that occurs upon the abrupt discontinuation/separation or a decrease in dosage of the intake of medications, recreational drugs, and alcohol...
, Lee ended his drug dependency. When Boyce escaped from prison in 1980, Lee was immediately remanded to another facility in Marion, Illinois
Marion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
, a move that caused the end of their friendship.
Lee was portrayed by actor Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
in director John Schlesinger
John Schlesinger
John Richard Schlesinger, CBE was an English film and stage director and actor.-Early life:Schlesinger was born in London into a middle-class Jewish family, the son of Winifred Henrietta and Bernard Edward Schlesinger, a physician...
's 1985 movie The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman is a 1985 film directed by John Schlesinger about two young American men, Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee , who sold U.S. security secrets to the Soviet Union...
, based on the book of the same name by Robert Lindsey
Robert Lindsey (journalist)
Robert Lindsey is a journalist and author of several true crime books, including The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage , the story of Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee, who were both convicted of selling information to the Soviets...
. Lee's drug-dealing earned him the nickname "The Snowman," while Boyce's interest in falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
won him his own sobriquet. Boyce was played in the film by actor Timothy Hutton
Timothy Hutton
Timothy Tarquin Hutton is an American actor. He is the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at the age of 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in Ordinary People . He currently stars as Nathan "Nate" Ford on the TNT series Leverage.-Early life:Timothy...
.
Lee was released on parole in 1998. Kathryn Mills, an activist who had worked towards earning Lee parole, turned her attention towards the release of Boyce following Lee's freedom and eventually married Boyce. At some point after his release, Lee was hired by Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
to be Penn's personal assistant.
Further reading
- Robert LindseyRobert Lindsey (journalist)Robert Lindsey is a journalist and author of several true crime books, including The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage , the story of Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee, who were both convicted of selling information to the Soviets...
, The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage, Lyons Press, 1979, ISBN 1-58574-502-2