DOJ: Suspected Leaker Admitted He ‘Mishandled Classified Information’ — Search of Washington Post Reporter Draws Scrutiny

The government contractor whose conduct prompted a high-profile search of a Washington Post reporter’s home told federal agents he had mishandled classified material, prosecutors said in a court hearing transcript obtained by CNN.

Details Of The Case

At a detention hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia McLane said Aurelio Perez-Lugones told investigators he was upset about “recent government activity” and "admitted to federal officers that he mishandled classified information." Perez-Lugones, a former U.S. Navy service member and long-time government contractor, allegedly began placing classified papers in a lunchbox in his car and storing documents at his home beginning in October and continuing until agents searched his residence last week.

Perez-Lugones was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawful retention of national defense information. He remains in custody while contesting his detention and has not yet been formally indicted or entered a plea. CNN has contacted his attorneys for comment.

Defense Response

In court filings, Perez-Lugones’ lawyers pushed back against the government’s argument that he poses an ongoing national security threat. They emphasized that the allegation currently centers on retention of classified documents and that there are no allegations he shared classified material during his decades-long career in positions requiring security clearance.

“Indeed, there are no allegations that Mr. Perez-Lugones – during his decades-long career in positions requiring a security clearance – has ever inappropriately used information that he had knowledge of,” the defense wrote.

Why The Reporter’s Home Was Searched

The criminal probe into Perez-Lugones prompted the Justice Department to seek and obtain a search warrant for the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. Federal agents seized multiple electronic devices, including a personal laptop, a work laptop, a Garmin watch and a cell phone — an unusual step that has alarmed press freedom advocates.

President Donald Trump said an alleged leaker tied to disclosures about Venezuela was in custody, but Justice Department court filings have not publicly linked the arrest to Venezuela. The Department warned the defendant could remain motivated to disclose information because of political dissatisfaction; McLane told the court Perez-Lugones had expressed “exasperation for the current conditions in America” and that he could convey information verbally even if his electronic communications were restricted.

Press Freedom Concerns

First Amendment advocates and news organizations have criticized the search and seizure as having "dramatic implications for a free press." The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press asked a federal judge to unseal the Justice Department’s search applications so the public can understand the government’s legal basis for the search and a court’s reasons for approving it.

“The public is therefore left with no means to understand the government’s basis for seeking (and a federal court’s basis for approving) a search with dramatic implications for a free press and the constitutional rights of journalists,” the Reporters Committee wrote in its filing.

Natanson has not been charged with a crime, and The Washington Post has defended her reporting. Senior administration officials, including the attorney general and the FBI director, have publicly criticized media outlets for publishing national security information, a response that has heightened concern among First Amendment watchdogs and news organizations.

CNN’s Brian Stelter contributed to this report.