(Laurel, Maryland, January 23, 2026) — A federal grand jury has indicted a Maryland man on charges of unlawfully transmitting and retaining classified national defense information, raising concerns about potential breaches of national security.
Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, 61, is accused of leaking classified documents to an unauthorized reporter, potentially compromising sensitive intelligence operations.
- Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, a government contractor with a Top-Secret security clearance, was indicted on six counts related to classified information.
- Prosecutors allege Perez-Lugones removed classified documents from his workplace and provided them to a reporter.
- The Justice Department emphasized the seriousness of the alleged crimes and its commitment to protecting national security.
- Perez-Lugones faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count if convicted.
Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, of Laurel, Maryland, was indicted on five counts of unlawfully transmitting national defense information and one count of unlawfully retaining it, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(e), the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
According to the indictment, Perez-Lugones, who has held a Top-Secret security clearance for decades, allegedly accessed, printed, and removed classified reports from a secure facility between October 2025 and January 2026. He then allegedly transmitted this information to a reporter, identified only as “Reporter 1,” who subsequently published at least five articles containing the classified material.
“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,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will remain ever-vigilant in protecting the integrity of America’s classified intelligence.”
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Perez-Lugones allegedly printed and removed classified documents on multiple occasions, taking them home and passing them to the reporter. “Protecting our country’s secrets is essential to the safety of our most sensitive intelligence, military, and law enforcement operations,” Patel said. “The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate everyone who seeks to undermine our national security and hold them accountable.”
Investigators reportedly discovered messages between Perez-Lugones and the reporter discussing the classified information on Perez-Lugones’s mobile phone. After sending a document to the reporter, Perez-Lugones allegedly messaged, “I’m going quiet for a bit . . . just to see if anyone starts asking questions.” A hard-copy document classified at the SECRET level was also recovered from Perez-Lugones’s vehicle, according to the indictment.
Why It Matters
This case highlights the ongoing challenges of safeguarding classified information, even among individuals with long-standing security clearances. The alleged actions of Perez-Lugones, a long-time government contractor, underscore the potential for insider threats to national security. The Justice Department’s swift action in pursuing this case sends a clear signal that unauthorized disclosure of classified information will not be tolerated. The incident also raises questions about security protocols within government contracting and the vetting processes for individuals with access to sensitive materials. The potential damage caused by the publication of classified information could range from compromising intelligence sources and methods to jeopardizing ongoing military operations.
Perez-Lugones, who has worked as a system engineer and information technology specialist for a government contractor since at least 2002, was initially charged by criminal complaint on January 9, 2026, with unlawful retention of national defense information. He now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count. Actual sentences are typically less than the maximum penalties, and will be determined by a federal district court judge considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia McLane and Thomas Sullivan of the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
