A former Fort Bragg employee with top-secret clearance has been charged with unlawfully transmitting classified military information to a journalist, according to a federal complaint. Courtney P. Williams, 40, an Army veteran assigned to a special military unit at Fort Bragg, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI and faces federal charges.
Williams is accused of sharing highly sensitive operational details, including tactics, techniques, and procedures used by elite military units. The Department of Justice says she communicated extensively with a journalist from 2022 to 2025, including phone calls, text messages, and the transfer of documents that were later published in an article and a book. She held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance at the time.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement on X, saying the bureau will not tolerate leaks of classified information. “We’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests,” Patel wrote. “This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way.”
The court filings do not identify the journalist by name, but details match those of a book by Seth Harp about the Army’s Delta Force. Harp called Williams a “brave whistleblower” in a statement, asserting her disclosures related to sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the military. He described her as a “truth-teller” despite her legal risks.
Authorities say the leaked materials contained classified information at the SECRET level with NOFORN restrictions, meaning they could not be shared with foreign nationals. Evidence includes messages indicating Williams mailed a thumb drive and saved files labeled for the reporter. On the day the article and book were published, she reportedly expressed concern about the extent of the disclosures and acknowledged the legal risks in a text to her mother.
Williams reportedly signed multiple non-disclosure agreements and was warned about violating federal law. Officials state that the information could endanger military personnel and compromise operations if accessed by adversaries. “The tradecraft, tactics, and techniques used by the U.S. military unit in this case are classified and should be shared only with those with proper clearances and a need to know,” said FBI Special Agent Reid Davis.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina. The Department of Justice emphasizes the importance of safeguarding classified information to protect national security.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
