Former CIA Contractor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Retaining Classified Materials

Reynaldo B. Regis, 53, of Fort Washington, Maryland, and a former CIA contractor, pleaded guilty today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified materials, and making material false statements to federal law enforcement officers.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady accepted the plea.

According to court documents, Regis 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 federal 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 faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  Regis is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 21.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.  The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting this case.