Federal prosecutors have announced the indictment of a Pentagon contractor on serious charges related to the unlawful handling and transmission of classified national defence information. The case has garnered significant national attention following a recent search of a Washington Post reporter's home as part of the ongoing investigation.
Charges and Allegations Against Contractor
Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, a 61-year-old resident of Laurel, Maryland, was formally indicted on Thursday. He faces five counts of unlawfully transmitting classified information and one count of unlawfully retaining such material. The Justice Department revealed that Perez-Lugones, who held a top secret security clearance, is accused of printing out classified documents from his workplace and later providing them to a journalist.
Connection to Reporter's Home Search
The indictment is directly linked to last week's search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson's home in Virginia. Federal agents executed the search as part of their investigation into the alleged leaks. During the operation, authorities seized multiple electronic devices including a phone, two laptops, a recorder, a portable hard drive, and a Garmin smartwatch from Natanson's residence.
In response to the seizure, the Washington Post has filed a court motion requesting the return of these confidential newsgathering materials. A federal magistrate judge in Alexandria, Virginia, has temporarily prohibited the government from reviewing any content from the seized devices and scheduled a hearing for February 6th to consider the newspaper's request.
Details of the Alleged Leaks
According to FBI Director Kash Patel, Perez-Lugones is accused of taking home printouts of classified documents from his workplace, where he worked as a systems engineer and information technology specialist for a government contractor. The Justice Department alleges that the reporter, who co-wrote and contributed to at least five articles containing the classified information, received these documents from Perez-Lugones.
Investigators discovered phone messages between Perez-Lugones and the reporter discussing the provided information. In one exchange, Perez-Lugones stated, "I'm going quiet for a bit ... just to see if anyone starts asking questions," after sending one of the classified documents.
Evidence and Investigation Findings
An FBI agent's affidavit reveals that in October, Perez-Lugones allegedly took a screenshot of a classified intelligence report concerning an unspecified foreign country, pasted the image into a Microsoft Word document, and printed it out. During searches of his home and car this month, authorities discovered documents marked "SECRET," including one found in a lunchbox.
Perez-Lugones has remained in custody since his arrest on January 8th. His attorneys have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the charges.
Press Freedom Concerns and Government Response
The case has raised significant concerns among press freedom advocates who argue it represents a more aggressive approach by the Justice Department toward leak investigations involving journalists. The Washington Post issued a strong statement condemning the seizure of their reporter's materials, stating: "The outrageous seizure of our reporter's confidential newsgathering materials chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on these materials."
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasised the seriousness of the alleged offences, declaring: "Illegally disclosing classified defence information is a grave crime against America that puts both our national security and the lives of our military heroes at risk."
Background on the Reporter Involved
Hannah Natanson, the Washington Post reporter whose home was searched, has been covering Republican President Donald Trump's transformation of the federal government. The Post recently published a piece in which Natanson described gaining hundreds of new sources from the federal workforce, leading a colleague to refer to her as "the federal government whisperer."
The Justice Department's news release did not name the specific reporter or employer involved, and the indictment itself has not been immediately made public. However, the connection to Natanson's home search has been confirmed through court filings and statements from the Washington Post.
