The FBI has arrested a former Fort Bragg employee accused of leaking classified material to a journalist, marking a high-profile case tied to national security and media access.
Federal authorities identified the suspect as Courtney Williams, a 40-year-old former military special operations staffer who allegedly shared sensitive information over several years.
According to the Department of Justice, Williams was taken into custody on Tuesday and formally indicted the following day on charges related to the unauthorized disclosure of classified material.
The case centers on information provided to investigative reporter Seth Harp, who examined alleged misconduct at Fort Bragg in his 2025 book.
That book, The Fort Bragg Cartel, focused on a series of deaths at the base and claims of drug trafficking involving elite military personnel.
Federal prosecutors say the material shared with Harp included classified national defense information that Williams was legally obligated to protect.
Investigators also cited phone records showing contact between Williams and the journalist dating back to 2022.
In one message referenced in the criminal complaint, Williams expressed concern after publication of an article tied to the investigation.
“I thought things I was telling you [were] so you could have a better general understanding,” she said, according to court filings.
Williams had worked at Fort Bragg for six years and reportedly had access to sensitive materials, including documents tied to undercover operations.
Authorities said she had been briefed on her obligation to safeguard classified information, even after leaving her position.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a warning following the arrest, as the Guardian reported.
“Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: we’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests,” Patel said.
“This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way.”
The arrest has sparked immediate pushback from the journalist at the center of the case.
Harp criticized the FBI’s actions, calling the charges weak and accusing the agency of focusing on the wrong targets.
He argued that serious crimes connected to Fort Bragg, including alleged murders tied to drug activity, remain unresolved.
“A real police agency would go after real criminals instead of engaging in this sort of political theater,” Harp said in a statement.
Harp also denied receiving classified materials in the manner described by investigators.
He said a storage device mentioned in the complaint contained publicly available information tied to a workplace discrimination claim.
Williams has also been linked to allegations of harassment during her time at Fort Bragg.
According to excerpts cited in reporting, she previously filed a complaint alleging misconduct and discrimination within the unit.
