A Pentagon contractor, Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, was indicted on six counts for allegedly transmitting and retaining classified national defense information. Authorities say the case is linked to a search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home and the seizure of her electronic devices. Investigators recovered documents marked "SECRET" from Perez-Lugones’ home and car and identified communications between him and the reporter. A magistrate temporarily barred review of the seized materials and set a Feb. 6 hearing on The Post’s motion to have them returned.
Pentagon Contractor Indicted Over Leaks Linked to Search of Washington Post Reporter’s Home
FILE - An FBI seal is displayed on a podium before a news conference at the field office in Portland, Ore., Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A Pentagon contractor, Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, was indicted Thursday on charges that he unlawfully removed and shared classified national defense information with a journalist. The case drew national attention after federal agents searched the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson as part of the related investigation.
Charges and Allegations
The Justice Department said Perez-Lugones faces six counts: five counts of unlawfully transmitting classified national defense information and one count of unlawfully retaining such information. Authorities have connected the indictment to the Jan. 8 arrest of Perez-Lugones and to last week’s search of Natanson’s Virginia home, which has raised concern among press freedom advocates.
According to authorities, Perez-Lugones — a 61-year-old systems engineer and IT specialist employed by a government contractor who held a Top Secret clearance — printed and removed classified reports from his workplace. An affidavit filed by an FBI agent alleges that, in October, he captured a screenshot of a classified intelligence report about an unspecified foreign country, pasted the image into a Microsoft Word document and printed it.
Evidence and Communications
Investigators say they recovered documents marked "SECRET" during searches of Perez-Lugones’ home and car, including one document found in a lunchbox. Authorities also reported finding phone messages between Perez-Lugones and the reporter that discussed the disclosed material. After sending one document, Perez-Lugones allegedly wrote,
“I’m going quiet for a bit ... just to see if anyone starts asking questions.”
Impact on Press Freedom and Legal Steps
The Justice Department’s announcement did not name the journalist or their employer, though the search of Natanson’s home has prompted public statements and legal action by The Washington Post. The paper asked a court to order the return of electronic devices seized from Natanson — including a phone, two laptops, a recorder, a portable hard drive and a smartwatch — and a federal magistrate in Alexandria, Virginia, temporarily barred government officials from reviewing material on the seized devices. A hearing on the paper’s request is scheduled for Feb. 6.
The Washington Post said the seizure of confidential newsgathering materials "chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on these materials." The Justice Department emphasized the national-security risks of disclosing classified defense information. Attorneys for Perez-Lugones did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Next Steps
Perez-Lugones remains in custody following his arrest on Jan. 8. The indictment was announced publicly by the Justice Department; the full indictment document had not yet been released at the time of the report. The legal proceedings and the Post’s motion over the seized devices will be closely watched by news organizations and civil liberties advocates concerned about government investigations into leaks and newsgathering materials.
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