---
title: "US accuses contractor of illegally sharing classified information with reporter"
description: "WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The US Justice Department said on Thursday it had brought criminal charges against a man who allegedly shared classified military information with a Washington Post reporter, whose house was raided during the investigation."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "World"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-01-23-us-accuses-contractor-of-illegally-sharing-classified-information-with-reporter/"
published: "2026-01-23T04:58:48"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 175
---

# US accuses contractor of illegally sharing classified information with reporter

> WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The US Justice Department said on Thursday it had brought criminal charges against a man who allegedly shared classified military information with a Washington Post reporter, whose house was raided during the investigation.

By Reuters · Published 23 January 2026, 06:58 SAST

## Content

By Andy Sullivan

Aurelio Perez-Lugones, 61, is accused of taking classified reports from his workplace at a government contractor and sharing them with the reporter, who cited them in news articles, according to the Justice Department. A grand jury approved an indictment that charges Perez-Lugones with unlawfully transmitting and retaining classified information, Justice Department officials said. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

Lawyers for Perez-Lugones did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The case drew widespread attention after FBI agents last week [raided the home](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3YF0MJ&linkedFromStory=true) of the reporter, Hannah Natanson. Press freedom groups said it was a highly unusual move that threatens journalistic freedom, and a federal judge on Wednesday [temporarily blocked](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AS0N3XP02G&linkedFromStory=true) prosecutors from reviewing material that was seized during the raid. The Post said Natanson was told she is not a target of the investigation.

Under U.S. President Donald Trump, the Justice Department has [reversed a policy](about:blank) that had barred prosecutors from seizing records from reporters in most circumstances.

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Sergio Non and Diane Craft)