A contractor working for the Defense Department was arrested on Friday and charged with mishandling classified documents, as per an FBI complaint. The contractor, a Turkey-born electrical engineer, allegedly printed over 250 documents at work between May and August 7, some of which were labeled as 'top secret.' Despite having top-secret clearance due to his employment, he was not authorized to take the documents home, according to the 11-page complaint filed in a Virginia federal court.
The contractor was apprehended by federal agents as he was about to leave for Mexico. During a search of his belongings, a document marked 'top secret' was found in his backpack. Further searches at his residence revealed more classified documents in his possession.
Witnesses reported seeing the contractor leaving the office with suspicious items, including rolled papers in shopping bags, which he later took to his residences in Virginia. It was noted that he did not have a work-issued cell phone, yet was seen using two personal phones.
Authorities disclosed that the contractor is a frequent traveler with properties in multiple states and a history of trips to various countries. The motive behind his actions and his intended destination to Mexico remain under investigation.
This incident follows a series of recent cases involving mishandling of classified information. Notably, former President Donald Trump faced charges in 2023 for retaining classified documents at his Florida estate, a case that was later dismissed. In another instance, an Air National Guardsman pleaded guilty to leaking sensitive defense information earlier this year.
