By Devan Cole, Katelyn Polantz, Clay Voytek, CNN
(CNN) – On Thursday, federal prosecutors charged a government contractor with illegally sharing classified information with a Washington Post reporter. This expands on the criminal case against him that was initiated earlier this month for allegedly mishandling sensitive information.
This case has sparked significant concern among press freedom advocates regarding the Trump administration’s stance on the First Amendment and ongoing questions about how it handled the seizure of the reporter’s electronics just days after Perez-Lugones was arrested.
The devices belonging to Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson were taken during a pre-dawn FBI raid on January 14, based on a warrant related to the investigation into Perez-Lugones. Seizing reporters’ records is extremely rare in the US, prompting immediate condemnation from The Post and press freedom supporters.
The new charges are significant as they mark the first instance where the Justice Department has publicly linked Perez-Lugones’ actions directly to Natanson’s reporting. Prior allegations only accused him of improperly copying and taking home classified materials.
Neither The Post nor Natanson have been charged with any wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to The Post for their response.
The federal grand jury in Maryland approved charges against Perez-Lugones that include five counts of unlawfully transmitting information to the reporter via an encrypted messaging app starting in late October 2025 until early January. Additionally, there is one count of unlawful retention of classified information, which he had faced previously through a criminal complaint without needing grand jury approval.
The indictment spanning 11 pages refers to Perez-Lugones as “Reporter 1” and mentions five articles she contributed to or co-authored that allegedly contained classified details he provided her.
Included in the indictment are redacted screenshots of conversations between Perez-Lugones and Natanson, one where he mentioned he was “going quiet for a bit” after allegedly sending her photos of classified documents.
“I’m going quiet for a bit … just to see if anyone starts asking questions,” he wrote, according to the indictment.
Perez-Lugones admitted he mishandled classified material according to statements made by prosecutors based on transcripts from court hearings obtained by CNN. He told investigators he felt frustrated about “recent government activity,” Assistant US Attorney Patricia Mc Lane noted during a detention hearing earlier this month.
If found guilty, Perez-Lugones could face up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the six charges against him.
He is currently incarcerated and hasn’t yet been formally presented with either set of charges or entered any plea regarding them.
Attorneys representing Perez-Lugones did not respond when asked for comments.
A judge had approved the Justice Department’s request for a search warrant concerning the reporter, enabling last week’s unexpected raid; however, documents detailing what was presented to obtain that warrant remain sealed from public view.
Top officials from Trump’s administration have publicly stated that Perez-Lugones’ alleged leaking posed risks to national security. Nonetheless, it’s unusual for the Justice Department to label accurate news reporting as dangerous even amidst an ongoing criminal case involving someone with security clearance accused of leaking; courts have historically protected journalists’ rights to report even sensitive government matters.
This criminal inquiry into Perez-Lugones raises important questions regarding why authorities subsequently searched Natanson’s home and confiscated her electronics – actions rarely seen and criticized by officials across different administrations before now.
Recent remarks made in court by representatives from The Washington Post reveal that Natanson’s seized electronics contained numerous contact details dating back several years. This has further raised concerns over how law enforcement may access journalists’ data following such seizures.
A federal judge ruled Wednesday against allowing investigators access to Natanson’s phone and computers for now. Magistrate Judge William B. Porter granted The Post’s request for a “standstill order” while scheduling oral arguments for February 6th.
“The government must preserve but must not review any of the materials that law enforcement seized … until the Court authorizes review of those materials by further order,” wrote Magistrate Judge Porter.
CNN’s Brian Stelter contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
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