A Pentagon contractor with top-secret clearance has been indicted for leaking classified documents to a journalist, sparking an FBI raid on the journalist's home in what critics are calling "outrageous" and "aggressive".
The indictment against Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, 61, alleges that he intentionally shared sensitive information related to national defense with a reporter who then published at least five articles using it. According to prosecutors, Perez-Lugones printed screenshots of top-secret documents on multiple occasions, hid them in Microsoft Word documents, and transmitted photographs of the confidential files.
The journalist, identified as Hannah Natanson, was raided by FBI agents on January 14th after the agency received a tip about alleged leaking of classified information. During the raid, investigators seized items including laptops, smartwatches, and mobile phones from her Virginia home.
Press freedom advocates have condemned the raid as an "escalation in the Trump administration's intrusions into media independence". They argue that physical searches of reporters' devices and homes are extreme measures that should only be taken in the most severe cases.
The indictment charges Perez-Lugones with mishandling classified information, which could result in up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted. His lawyers have not commented on the case so far.
A temporary restraining order was issued earlier this week by a federal judge, blocking prosecutors from reviewing material taken during the raid while the court reviews Natanson's request for the return of her equipment.
Perez-Lugones, a former navy veteran, held high-level security clearances as a systems engineer and IT specialist before he was arrested on January 8th and remained in jail since then.
The indictment against Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones, 61, alleges that he intentionally shared sensitive information related to national defense with a reporter who then published at least five articles using it. According to prosecutors, Perez-Lugones printed screenshots of top-secret documents on multiple occasions, hid them in Microsoft Word documents, and transmitted photographs of the confidential files.
The journalist, identified as Hannah Natanson, was raided by FBI agents on January 14th after the agency received a tip about alleged leaking of classified information. During the raid, investigators seized items including laptops, smartwatches, and mobile phones from her Virginia home.
Press freedom advocates have condemned the raid as an "escalation in the Trump administration's intrusions into media independence". They argue that physical searches of reporters' devices and homes are extreme measures that should only be taken in the most severe cases.
The indictment charges Perez-Lugones with mishandling classified information, which could result in up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted. His lawyers have not commented on the case so far.
A temporary restraining order was issued earlier this week by a federal judge, blocking prosecutors from reviewing material taken during the raid while the court reviews Natanson's request for the return of her equipment.
Perez-Lugones, a former navy veteran, held high-level security clearances as a systems engineer and IT specialist before he was arrested on January 8th and remained in jail since then.
. Like, I get it, national defense secrets are super sensitive, but come on, an FBI raid? That's just too much! The fact that they took her entire home, including laptops and smartwatches, is ridiculous. What if she needed those devices for her job or personal stuff? 
. I mean, we should know what happened here, right? The press freedom advocates are right, these measures are way too extreme. If Perez-Lugones really did leak classified info, he should face consequences, but an FBI raid on a journalist's home? That's just not cool.
. And what about Hannah Natanson's freedom of speech? She was just doing her job and reporting on important stories. We shouldn't be afraid of the government breathing down our necks over every little thing 
. This whole situation is a big deal, and I think it needs to be taken seriously.
. The government's actions seem way too aggressive to me 
. Journalists are supposed to be protecting us by asking tough questions and holding those in power accountable. They shouldn't have to be afraid of being silenced or raided 
.
. I get it, classified documents are sensitive, but this doesn't seem like the right response 
. We need more transparency and less fear of retribution 
.
. The Trump admin's actions are only going to make journalists more cautious and less willing to do their job, which is exactly what we don't need right now 
.
I'm totally confused about this whole situation... like what's the big deal? Perez-Lugones did leak some top-secret info, but we're talking about journalism here, right? 
I don't see why Perez-Lugones deserves more scrutiny than someone who might be leaking classified info just for the heck of it.
Can we just get some clarity on what's going on here?
This whole situation has me worried about the balance between national security and press freedom, it's like they're trying to silence a whistleblower instead of addressing the issue itself. The fact that an FBI raid was carried out over leaked documents just highlights how far the government is willing to go in this case.
. The fact that the FBI raided this journalist's home is pretty extreme, imo. I don't think Perez-Lugones did anything wrong... he was just following his conscience or whatever 
. The press is supposed to be held accountable for what they publish, not the ones doing the reporting 
. Maybe we should be focusing on who's really leaking classified info and not trying to silence people who are just trying to tell a story 
Especially when it's someone who was just trying to expose important info? The fact that they're treating journalists like this is just so concerning 
. I mean, what's next? Raids on activists and whistleblowers too? 
We need to make sure our press freedom isn't being trampled on 
.
. Like, I've seen people say it's an "escalation" in Trump's attacks on media freedom 
. This whole situation is a real mess 
It's not like they're revealing state secrets to the enemy or anything 
. And five articles? That's not even a lot, right? 
. And what about press freedom, right? Can't journalists even do their job without being bullied by the government? 
it's all just so... heavy-handed 
This whole situation is super sketchy... I mean, what's the deal with these top-secret clearances? Are they just for show or does someone really need to know this much sensitive info? 
it's one thing to investigate a tip, but to physically search someone's home is like, totally over the top. i'm not saying Perez-Lugones didn't break any laws or anything, but does this really need to be done so aggressively? 
.