Army Veteran Charged for Leaking Classified Details of Elite Commando Unit

Courtney Williams accused of sharing sensitive military information with journalist, putting country and allies at risk

Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:09pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a classified military document with redacted text, capturing the stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic of Weegee's photography to illustrate the serious consequences of leaking sensitive national security information.A classified military document's redacted pages expose the high-stakes risks of leaking sensitive national security information.Today in Raleigh

Courtney Williams, a 40-year-old Army veteran from Wagram, North Carolina, has been charged with violating federal law and multiple nondisclosure agreements by sharing classified details about her work with a 'special military unit' at Fort Bragg with a journalist. The government alleges Williams had over 10 hours of phone calls and 180 messages with the unnamed journalist between 2022 and 2025, and that she intended to provide at least 10 batches of classified documents.

Why it matters

The case highlights the serious consequences for current and former military personnel who disclose sensitive national security information, even if the intent is to expose alleged wrongdoing. Leaks of classified details about elite commando units can put the country, its warfighters, and allies at significant risk.

The details

According to the FBI affidavit, Williams was cleared as a defense contractor in 2010 and became a Department of Defense employee later that year, performing duties within the special military unit as an operational support technician. Her access to classified information was later suspended due to an internal investigation, and she was debriefed and signed a nondisclosure agreement in 2015. The government alleges Williams had been in contact with the journalist between 2022 and 2025, and that she expressed concern about the 'amount of classified information being disclosed' in a text message.

  • Williams was cleared as a defense contractor in April 2010.
  • Williams became a Department of Defense employee in November 2010.
  • Williams' access to classified information was suspended in 2015 based on an internal investigation.
  • Williams was debriefed and signed a nondisclosure agreement in September 2015.
  • The alleged communications between Williams and the journalist occurred between 2022 and 2025.

The players

Courtney Williams

A 40-year-old Army veteran from Wagram, North Carolina, who is accused of violating federal law and multiple nondisclosure agreements by sharing classified details about her work with a 'special military unit' at Fort Bragg with a journalist.

Reid Davis

The FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, who said 'Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation's security.'

Roman Rozhavsky

An assistant director of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, who said Williams 'swore an oath to safeguard our nation's secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk.'

Seth Harp

The author of the book 'The Fort Bragg Cartel,' which alleges sexual harassment and discrimination in the Army's secretive Delta Force unit that Williams was a part of.

Jocelyn Fox

The FBI special agent who wrote the affidavit detailing the allegations against Williams.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation's security.”

— Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge, North Carolina

“Former Delta Force operators disclose `national defense information' on podcasts and YouTube shows every day, but the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit. This is a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.”

— Seth Harp

What’s next

Williams is scheduled to appear in Raleigh federal court for hearings set for early next week, where a judge will determine if she should be held pending trial.

The takeaway

This case highlights the serious legal consequences for current and former military personnel who disclose classified information, even if their intent is to expose alleged wrongdoing. It underscores the government's strict enforcement of nondisclosure agreements and the Espionage Act to protect national security.