{"id":2548916,"date":"2026-01-23T06:31:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T11:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/contractor-who-allegedly-leaked-information-to-washington-post-indicted-on-six-counts\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T06:33:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T11:33:24","slug":"contractor-who-allegedly-leaked-information-to-washington-post-indicted-on-six-counts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/contractor-who-allegedly-leaked-information-to-washington-post-indicted-on-six-counts\/","title":{"rendered":"Contractor who allegedly leaked information to Washington Post indicted on six counts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcontractor-who-allegedly-leaked-information-to-washington-post-indicted-on-six-counts%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2548916&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal contractor, Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, 61, was indicted by a Maryland grand jury on six counts &#8211; five for unlawfully transmitting and one for unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. The Department of Justice says he illegally accessed top-secret intelligence in federal databases between October 2025 and January 2026, took screenshots (wich he pasted into word and other apps), printed and removed documents, and transmitted photographs of classified material. Perez-Lugones allegedly gave the information to an unnamed Washington Post journalist (&#8220;reporter 1&#8221;), who used it in at least five articles published between Oct. 31, 2025, and Jan.9, 2026. He was observed accessing and printing classified material on Jan. 8 while under surveillance and reportedly told the reporter he was &#8220;going quiet for a bit.&#8221; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI officials condemned the actions as threats to national security; perez-Lugones faces up to 10 years in prison for each charge.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Contractor who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-appeals-order-forcing-release-of-grand-jury-materials-in-comey-case\/\" title=\"DOJ appeals order forcing release of grand jury materials in Comey case\">allegedly leaked information<\/a> to Washington Post indicted on six counts<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2481152\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A government contractor accused of leaking classified national security information to a <em>Washington Post <\/em>journalist was indicted by a federal grand jury in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\">Maryland<\/a> on Thursday. He was charged with five counts of unlawfully transmitting and one count of unlawfully retaining classified national <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/policy\/defense\/\">defense<\/a> information.<\/p>\n<p>Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, 61, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >allegedly illegally accessed classified national defense information<\/a> on multiple occasions between October 2025 and January 2026. He proceeded to give the information to an unnamed journalist, identified as &ldquo;Reporter 1,&rdquo; the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> said. The reporter who received the unauthorized data then used it to write &ldquo;at least five articles that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-73976-ballots-released-by-maricopa-county-56-1-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"BREAKING: 73,976 Ballots Released By Maricopa County \u2014 56.1% FOR DONALD TRUMP\">contained classified information<\/a>.&rdquo; Perez-Lugones had served in a variety of roles as a federal contractor since 2002.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/op-eds\/4429233\/supreme-court-hawaii-gun-rights-case\/\">SCOTUS likely to head-bop Hawaii over gun rights<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4430526\/michigan-senate-special-election-bellwether\/\">Michigan&rsquo;s overlooked state Senate special election could become an early bellwether for 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4430580\/trump-maximalist-approach-cry-wolf\/\">Trump&#8217;s maximalist approach begs the question: How many times can he cry wolf?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;On October 31, 2025, November 11, 2025, December 8, 2025, January 6, 2026, and January 9, 2026, Reporter 1 co-authored articles containing classified information from these reports, the Justice Department <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-md\/pr\/maryland-man-indicted-unlawful-transmission-and-retention-classified-national-defense\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> in a press release.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-md\/pr\/maryland-man-indicted-unlawful-transmission-and-retention-classified-national-defense\">evidence<\/a> collected, Perez-Lugones began illegally accessing federal databases in Oct. 2025 that contained classified information, including intelligence reports and other information categorized as &ldquo;top secret,&rdquo; according to the DOJ. He took screenshots of the information he viewed and then &ldquo;pasted them in Microsoft Word documents and other applications&rdquo; to hide his illegal activities and acquire the information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On Jan. 8, he was witnessed by &ldquo;authorities&rdquo; accessing national defense information and printing it at his cubicle, the DOJ said. He was also seen illegally transmitting photographs of classified information. After being put under surveillance, Perez-Lugones <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-md\/pr\/maryland-man-indicted-unlawful-transmission-and-retention-classified-national-defense\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">communicated<\/a> with the journalist, saying that he was &ldquo;going quiet for a bit &hellip; just to see if anyone starts asking questions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The indictment was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-md\/pr\/maryland-man-indicted-unlawful-transmission-and-retention-classified-national-defense\">announced<\/a> by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kash-patel\/\">Kash Patel<\/a>, and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox, FBI &ndash; Washington Field Office.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\">Pam Bondi<\/a> blasted the actions of Perez-Lugones, calling them &ldquo;a grave crime against America&rdquo; that threatened national security. Patel echoed her sentiments.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; said Bond. &ldquo;This Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant in protecting the integrity of America&rsquo;s classified intelligence.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4427832\/washington-post-demand-fbi-return-electronics-seized-hannah-natanson-raid\/\"><strong>WASHINGTON POST DEMANDS FBI RETURN ELECTRONICS SEIZED DURING RAID ON REPORTER&rsquo;S HOUSE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Perez-Lugones allegedly printed and removed classified documents from his workplace on multiple occasions, took them home, and later passed them to a reporter who used the information in news articles,&rdquo; said Patel. &ldquo;Protecting our country&rsquo;s secrets is essential to the safety of our most sensitive intelligence, military, and law enforcement operations. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate everyone who seeks to undermine our national security and hold them accountable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Hayes agreed with Bondi and Patel and said that such illegal activity that puts national security at risk is intolerable.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The indictment charges that Perez-Lugones willfully transmitted national defense information to a news reporter, placing our national security at risk,&rdquo; Hayes said. &ldquo;Protecting sensitive national security information is a core responsibility of the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney&rsquo;s Office and our law enforcement partners will pursue accountability when that trust is violated.&nbsp; Putting it simply, risking our national security cannot and will not be tolerated.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Perez-Lugones faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each of his charges, the DOJ said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contractor indicted for leaking secrets to WaPo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2548917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP23026630057707.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[16853,15074,3654,32293],"class_list":["post-2548916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-contractor","tag-indictment","tag-leak","tag-washington-post"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP23026630057707.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2548916"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2548922,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2548916\/revisions\/2548922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2548917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2548916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2548916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2548916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}