U.S. Army Veteran Charged with Disclosing Classified Delta Force Information to Journalist

Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday and charged with violating the Espionage Act by disclosing classified national defense information to a journalist. The charges stem from communications between 2022 and 2025, during which Williams allegedly shared details about a special military unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she worked from 2010 to 2016.

She appeared in federal court in Raleigh on Wednesday and was ordered held pending a preliminary hearing on April 13.

Williams received training on handling classified information and signed a nondisclosure agreement during her service, which stated that unauthorized disclosure could result in criminal penalties. Prosecutors allege she engaged in over 10 hours of phone calls and more than 180 messages with the journalist, who identified themselves as seeking information for an article and book.

Some statements attributed to Williams in the resulting publications contained classified information.

The journalist's article and book align with details about the Army's Delta Force unit, though court documents do not name the reporter or unit explicitly.

The book, titled The Fort Bragg Cartel, profiles Williams and her allegations of sexual harassment and abuse during her time at Fort Bragg. A related article published in 2025 by Politico featured Williams recounting her experiences in the unit under the headline detailing her career challenges.

On the publication day of the article and book, Williams exchanged messages with the journalist expressing concern over the amount of classified information disclosed.

In messages to a third party, she referenced potential arrest under the Espionage Act, stating she had known about legal risks throughout her career due to daily briefings. She also wrote that she might face life in prison.