A U.S. Army Special Operations Command veteran has been arrested federal charges for transmitting classified national defense information, authorities announced Tuesday. Courtney Williams, 40, faces one count of illegally communicating or transmitting national defense information under the Espionage Act, with potential sentencing of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

According to court documents, Williams worked for the Army between 2010 and 2016 after serving as a contractor and previously enlisting, holding a top secret security clearance. Investigators reported her access to classified information was suspended in 2015 and 2016 following an internal investigation. The complaint alleges she provided sensitive details—including classified Delta Force tactics and procedures—to journalist Seth Harp for his book The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces, which was published in August 2025.

FBI records show Williams exchanged approximately 180 text messages and spent at least 10 hours on phone calls with Harp between 2022 and 2024. The affidavit states she saved documents labeled “Batch 1 for Reporter” through “Batch 10 for Reporter,” containing personnel information from her time with Delta Force, a covert military unit headquartered at Fort Bragg. Investigators determined the leaked materials included classified information properly categorized as SECRET, specifically tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by the unit.

Williams reportedly texted Harp expressing concerns about the scale of disclosures in his book, stating: “I thought the things I was telling you so you could have a better general understanding how the [unit] was set up or operated would not be published.” She also told her mother she feared being arrested for “disclosing classified information” and that she might “get arrested and don’t even get a free copy of the book.”

Harp declined to comment publicly but described Williams as a “brave whistleblower and truth-teller,” noting the government’s pursuit of her stems from her exposure of sexual harassment and gender discrimination within Delta Force. The FBI affidavit confirms Williams communicated with Harp on the day his Politico article detailing alleged misconduct at Fort Bragg was published, though she is not named in the official complaint.