The government contractor alleged to have illegally retained and leaked classified, sensitive military op information to a reporter has been arrested. Investigation ongoing. Compromising the safety of our war fighters and America’s national security will be met with the full… pic.twitter.com/bY4TmsziPq
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) January 14, 2026
Big thread on the leaker: https://t.co/2o6fDMuo3j
— JKash 🍊MAGA Queen (@JKash000) January 14, 2026
LAUREL, Md. — A U.S. Navy Veteran turned federal government contractor is accused of stealing secret classified national defense information.
Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones was granted top security clearance as a systems engineer and information technology specialist for a federal government contractor based out of Annapolis Junction located near the border of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties.
The FBI alleges in charging documents that on at least four occasions between October 28, 2025 and January 7, 2026, Perez-Lugones accessed and viewed classified intelligence reports related to a foreign country without any prior authorization.
Agents say they have evidence proving Perez-Lugones printed out and took screenshots of secret documents, before taking them to his home in Laurel, Maryland.
In doing so, Perez-Lugones allegedly removed classified markings from one of the secret documents.
On January 8, the feds searched his car and home.
Inside the car, investigators discovered a lunchbox containing the secret document from which he removed the classified markings.
Meanwhile, inside the house another document marked secret was located.
Lugones served in the U.S. Navy from 1982 to 2002. Since then he’s worked as a government contractor in various capacities.
His criminal case is currently pending before the U.S. District Court of Maryland.
LAUREL, Md. — A U.S. Navy Veteran turned federal government contractor is accused of stealing secret classified national defense information.
Aurelio Luis Perez-Lugones was granted top security clearance as a systems engineer and information technology specialist for a federal… https://t.co/XhxzOnjVSG pic.twitter.com/crXLezWeAd
— Joni Job (@jj_talking) January 14, 2026