Former CIA Contractor Guilty of Illegally Retaining Classified Materials

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor pleaded guilty today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials, and making material false statements to federal law enforcement officers.

According to court documents, Reynaldo B. Regis, 53, of Fort Washington, Maryland, is a former employee of a government contractor who was assigned to the CIA between August 2006 and November 2016. During his time at the CIA, Regis conducted unauthorized searches in classified databases and copied classified information into personal notebooks, which he removed from his workspace at the CIA and stored in his home without authorization. When initially interviewed by law enforcement, Regis lied about having done so. During a search of his home, FBI agents recovered approximately 60 notebooks containing classified information. The classified information contained in the notebooks included information relating to highly sensitive intelligence reports, disclosure of which could cause serious damage to the national security.

Regis pleaded guilty to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, and making material false statements. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on September 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-209.