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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Accused NSA Leaker Reality Winner

A federal grand jury indicted Reality Winner, 25, on a single count: "willful retention and transmission of national defense information."

By: Briana Koeneman

Posted at 7:40 PM, Jun 08, 2017

and last updated 2017-06-08 19:40:14-04

The intelligence contractor accused of leaking a highly classified National Security Agency report to the media has been indicted.

According to court documents, a federal grand jury indicted 25-year-old Reality Winner on a single count — "willful retention and transmission of national defense information."

Winner is accused of "removing classified material from a government facility and mailing it to a news outlet." Her attorney told reporters she plans to plead not guilty.

She's being held at a county jail in Georgia until her detention hearing Thursday afternoon. Her lawyer says he will argue for her release.

That classified material Winner is accused of leaking is reportedly a top-secret document about Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. In numerous news stories, unnamed sources allege Winner gave it to a reporter at The Intercept.

Winner was taken into custody last week. But the Justice Department didn't announce her arrest until Monday — the same day The Intercept published a report on the document.

If Winner is found guilty, she faces up to 10 years behind bars and up to a $250,000 fine.