Federal officials announced Wednesday that Aurelio Perez-Lugones, a Pentagon contractor and former U.S. Navy veteran, has been arrested for allegedly leaking classified information connected to the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Authorities say the disclosures involved sensitive national defense material and posed risks to U.S. personnel and national security.
Perez-Lugones, a Maryland-based system administrator with top-secret security clearance, was taken into custody earlier this week and remains jailed. Court filings allege he unlawfully accessed classified intelligence reports through secure government systems and removed them from protected facilities, violating federal law governing the handling of defense information.
Investigators say the classified documents were discovered during a search of Perez-Lugones’ home, where materials were allegedly found in both his lunchbox and his basement. Prosecutors contend the documents included sensitive military intelligence related to U.S. operations and should never have been removed from secure locations.
According to authorities, some of the leaked information was shared with Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. As part of the investigation, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Natanson’s Virginia residence on January 14, seizing her phone, two laptops, and a Garmin watch. Federal officials have said Natanson is not a target of the investigation, and the search was conducted to identify the source of the leak.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said on social media that the search and arrest were conducted at the request of the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the FBI, emphasizing that the alleged leaker is now in custody. FBI Director Kash Patel echoed that statement, saying the case involves the unauthorized acquisition and disclosure of classified military information by a government contractor.
The leaked material reportedly related to Operation Absolute Resolve, the U.S. military raid carried out on January 3 that resulted in Maduro’s capture. President Donald Trump commented on the arrest, calling Perez-Lugones “a very bad leaker” and saying he expects the contractor to remain in jail for a long time. Perez-Lugones faces federal charges for unlawful retention of national defense information as the investigation continues.
