A Pentagon contractor, Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, has been indicted on multiple counts of espionage for reportedly transmitting top-secret documents to a media outlet. The Department of Justice announced the six-count indictment on Thursday, detailing the serious national security breach.
The charges against Perez-Lugones include five counts of unlawfully transmitting national defense information and one count of unlawfully retaining such material. These allegations stem from a sequence of events that led to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raid on the home of Hannah Natanson, a Washington Post reporter, on January 14, 2026.
Authorities acted after uncovering evidence that Perez-Lugones accessed classified intelligence from October 2025 to January 2026. During this period, prosecutors contend that Perez-Lugones printed or copied sensitive reports, subsequently transmitting them to Natanson. The Washington Post published at least five articles containing classified details within the same timeframe, all of which Natanson contributed to.
The indictment specifies that Perez-Lugones navigated databases and repositories containing classified material without authorization. He reportedly accessed intelligence reports with information about a foreign country, some of which bore the "Top Secret" designation—the highest classification level for national defense information.
According to the charges, Perez-Lugones took screenshots of these reports, transferring them into Microsoft Word documents and other applications. Investigators discovered documents with "SECRET" markings during a search of Perez-Lugones' residence and vehicle. One such document was found inside a lunchbox in his car, while another was located in his basement.
A tweet from the Trump War Room quoted the White House Press Secretary as saying, "Unfortunately, a contractor at the Pentagon chose to unlawfully leak classified and very serious information to this Washington Post reporter… If you break the law and if you endanger our men and women in uniform, you are going to be held accountable. Period."
In a message to Natanson, Perez-Lugones indicated a need for discretion, writing, "I’m going quiet for a bit… just to see if anyone starts asking questions." This communication is among the evidence cited in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Perez-Lugones' alleged actions, stating, "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." She reaffirmed the Department of Justice's commitment to protecting the integrity of America's classified intelligence.
Each count of the indictment carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. If found guilty on all charges, Perez-Lugones faces up to 60 years in custody. The case is one of the most recent in a series of prosecutions under the Espionage Act involving alleged leaks to mainstream media.
