A former Army-affiliated employee has been indicted on charges of unlawfully disclosing classified information to a journalist, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Courtney Williams, 40, of North Carolina, previously worked for a special military unit from 2010 to 2016 and held a top secret/sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI) clearance. Prosecutors allege that between 2022 and 2025, she repeatedly communicated with journalist Seth Harp, exchanging more than 180 messages and participating in over 10 hours of phone conversations.

According to the Justice Department, Harp later published a book and article that identified Williams as a source and included statements attributed to her. On the day of publication, Williams allegedly expressed concern about the amount of classified material being disclosed, writing that she could face arrest for sharing such information.

Investigators said Williams acknowledged the potential legal consequences in multiple communications, including statements indicating she understood she could face severe penalties for violating classification rules. During her time working with the military unit, she had signed a nondisclosure agreement acknowledging that unauthorized disclosures could constitute a criminal offense and had regular access to sensitive intelligence.

FBI officials said the case highlights the risks posed by unauthorized leaks of national security information. Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, stated that Williams allegedly violated her oath by sharing classified material, potentially endangering U.S. personnel and allies.

The indictment underscores the federal government’s ongoing efforts to enforce laws governing the handling of classified information and to deter future breaches by individuals entrusted with access to national security materials.