A federal grand jury handed down a six-count indictment Thursday against a government contractor accused of funneling classified intelligence to a Washington Post journalist in what authorities are calling a serious breach of national security.
The Department of Justice announced that Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones faces six felony violations of the Espionage Act.
The charges include five counts of unlawfully transmitting national defense information and one count of unlawfully retaining such material.
The alleged leak triggered a FBI raid on the home of Hannah Natanson, a reporter with the Washington Post, on Jan. 14.
Federal agents searched her residence and confiscated multiple items during the operation.
According to the Department of Justice, Perez-Lugones allegedly accessed classified information between October 2025 and January 2026.
Prosecutors claim he printed or copied sensitive reports before transmitting them to Natanson.
The Washington Post published at least five articles containing classified information during the October to January timeframe.
Natanson contributed to each of these pieces, according to the indictment.
Federal prosecutors allege Perez-Lugones navigated databases and repositories containing classified material without proper authorization.
He accessed classified intelligence reports that included information about a foreign country.
Some of the documents carried Top Secret designations, representing the highest level of classification for national defense information.
Perez-Lugones allegedly took screenshots of these reports and transferred them into Microsoft Word documents and other applications.
FBI agents executed search warrants at Perez-Lugones’ residence and vehicle on Jan. 8.
They discovered several documents bearing “SECRET” markings during the operation.
Investigators found one such document inside a lunchbox in his vehicle.
Another document with the same classification marking was located in his basement.
The indictment reveals that Perez-Lugones allegedly transmitted photographs of classified information directly to Natanson.
In one message to the reporter, he wrote, “I’m going quiet for a bit… just to see if anyone starts asking questions.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a statement condemning the alleged actions.
“Illegally disclosing classified defense information is a grave crime against America that puts both our national security and the lives of our military heroes at risk,” Bondi said.
She continued, “This Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant in protecting the integrity of America’s classified intelligence.”
Federal authorities also observed Perez-Lugones viewing national defense information and printing documents while inside his workplace cubicle.
Prosecutors allege he removed his name from document headers before leaving the office with the materials.
The charges carry severe penalties for the accused contractor. Each count of the indictment carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
If convicted on all six counts, Perez-Lugones could face up to 60 years behind bars. The case represents one of the latest prosecutions under the Espionage Act involving alleged leaks to mainstream media outlets, per reports.
