A former Delta Force member from the U.S. Army has been detained following allegations of leaking confidential information to a journalist, according to prosecutors who have unveiled her private communications.

Forty-year-old Courtney Williams was taken into custody on Wednesday, accused of sharing sensitive national defense details with unauthorized parties, including a reporter.

Although the journalist remains unnamed in court documents, Williams is frequently referenced in Seth Harp’s book, ‘The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces,’ and featured in a Politico piece by Harp, both released last year.

The Politico article, ‘My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit,’ explores her role as a ‘signature reduction specialist.’

According to legal documents, from 2022 to 2025, Williams communicated with Harp through calls and texts about her experiences with the elite team. These discussions occurred despite her having signed a Classified Information Nondisclosure Agreement at both the commencement and termination of her employment.

In the affidavit, Special Agent Jocelyn Fox cited a text between the two she said occurred on or about the day the book and article were published.

‘Other than a few factual errors, I would definitely have been concerned with the amount of classified information being disclosed,’ Williams’ text read. 

‘I thought things I was telling you so you could have a better general understanding of how the (SMU) was set up or operated would not be published and it feels like an entire TTP (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) was sent out in my name giving them a chance to legally persecute me.’

A former member of the United States Army’s elite Delta Force squad has been arrested and charged with leaking classified secrets to a reporter

Courtney Williams, 40, was arrested Wednesday in connection with her alleged transmission of classified national defense information to individuals not authorized to receive it, including a journalist

Fox also cited an alleged exchange between Williams and her mother. 

‘I might actually get arrested, and I don’t even get a free copy of the book,’ the affidavit read. ‘When her mother asked why she may be arrested, Williams responded ‘for disclosing classified information.’

Harp called Williams’ arrest ‘a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.’

‘Courtney Williams is a brave whistleblower and truth-teller,’ the reporter told WRAL.

‘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.’ 

Williams, who is specifically charged with violating a provision of the Espionage Act, made an initial appearance Wednesday in Raleigh federal court, where a magistrate judge unsealed the case against her, initially filed late last week, according to online court records. 

She was ordered held by the US Marshals Service pending hearings set for early next week. 

When Williams was fired, she filed an EEOC complaint and eventually settled for an amount she claimed was ‘sufficient to buy a small house in North Carolina.’

Williams is cited heavily in Seth Harp’s book ‘The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces’ and was featured in a Politico profile by Harp, both published last year

Harp wrote that Williams’ job meant she managed ‘valid but fictious passports’ and other identification for special forces operators on overseas missions. 

His story also details accusations of what Harp described as gender discrimination and sexual harassment. 

One incident mentioned Williams being forced to bend over for a supervisor ‘to assess whether her underwear could be seen through the fabric.’

The Department of Justice alleged that Williams both disclosed classified information to Harp and ‘made unauthorized disclosures of national defense information via her social media accounts.’

Harp named Williams as a source in his book and attributed specific information to his interviews with her over the course of 10 hours of telephone calls and over 180 text messages. 

Williams, the DOJ alleged, saved ten files to her computer titled ‘Batch for Reporter’ that included personnel files from her time with Delta Force.  

The complaint also cites one message from Harp where he talks to her about their exchange of information.  

‘Just wanted to let you know I dropped this in the mail today for the thumb drive. It’s stamped and addressed and ready to be sent back, no need to go to the post office!’

Williams worked at the US Army’s Fort Bragg in North Carolina from 2010 to 2016 

The complaint notes that the files ‘contained information that is properly classified as SECRET.’

‘The classified information comprised, in part, specific Tactics, Techniques & Procedures (TTPs) utilized by this (SMU) to execute sensitive missions.’

On the day both the profile and the book were released, Williams admitted to Harp in a text message she was ‘concerned about the amount of classified information being disclosed.’ 

She sent someone else a message writing: ‘I might actually get arrested . . . for disclosing classified information.’ 

In another message, she admitted she was ‘probably going to jail for life.’ 

When she was asked if she knew there could be legal consequences, she responded: ‘I have known my entire career, they tell you everyday . . . 100 times a day.’ 

However, the day the story was published, she celebrated it in a LinkedIn post writing that ‘I stood in rooms with thousands of men who watched me be sexually harassed, assaulted, and discriminated against. And they did nothing. All that power inherently gifted to them, and they did nothing.’

‘Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation’s security,’ Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in a Justice Department news release.

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,’ Roman Rozhavsky, an assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said in the statement.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Williams’ arrest on social media. 

‘Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: we’re working these cases, and we’re making arrests. This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harm’s way.’ 

Court records didn’t immediately name Williams’ lawyer.

In a recent development from Gulf County, Florida, the Charlie Kirk Way street sign has been reinstalled after being stolen about a month ago. Authorities, tracing back to the incident, suspect that the theft occurred around midnight on March 5 and involved spring breakers visiting the area. Alongside the street sign, a stop sign was also taken, with indications of additional vandalism on another sign.

The absence of the signs went unnoticed until daylight, with the theft only being reported the following morning. This resulted in a potentially hazardous situation, as a crucial stop sign was missing at a particularly dangerous intersection for approximately 12 hours. Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison expressed concern, emphasizing the risks posed during that period without the stop sign’s presence.

In other international news, the United States, Israel, and Iran have reached an agreement for a two-week ceasefire. However, details surrounding the arrangement remain sparse, leaving much to be clarified in the coming weeks.

“About noon the next day or at least a period of about 12 hours, there was no stop sign at that very dangerous intersection,” Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison said.

Within two days, the Gulf County Sheriff’s Office identified five people from Northwest Missouri State University as their suspects.

“We worked well with the campus police, where all of these students were going to school,” Harrison said.

The five students posted bail, each charged with one count of grand theft and criminal mischief.

Harrison said all five suspects will be extradited back to Gulf County at some point to face their charges.

President Donald Trump’s decision to initiate a two-week cease-fire with Iran is a bold move, fraught with risk. The involvement of Pakistan as a mediator adds another layer of complexity to this high-stakes situation.

Pakistan’s history as a sanctuary for controversial figures and groups is no secret. It provided a haven for Osama bin Laden for nearly a decade following the 9/11 attacks. Furthermore, for 20 years, it served as a refuge for the Taliban, which continued to inflict casualties on US and NATO forces while regaining control in Afghanistan.

In the current geopolitical landscape, Pakistan acts as a regional ally for China, further complicating its role as a neutral intermediary. Despite these challenges, Tehran has put forward a 10-point plan, crafted with Islamabad’s assistance, as a foundation for diplomatic discussions.

And today, Pakistan serves as China’s regional agent.

Tehran, with Islamabad’s help, has offered a 10-point plan as a baseline for negotiations.

But it’s a bad deal that the US shouldn’t take seriously.

Iran isn’t offering concessions on its ballistic missile program, or pledging to unwind its web of terror proxies across the region.

There’s no commitment to dismantle militias, halt weapons transfers or roll back threats to US forces and allies.

Instead, Tehran is demanding sweeping sanctions relief, an economic lifeline that would pour billions back into regime coffers.

On the most critical issue, nuclear enrichment, Tehran demands the right to enrich uranium as it pleases, with no set limits on how far it can go.

That’s an obvious non-starter, preserving Iran’s potential path to a nuclear weapon.

It should be a tip-off that the entire offer has been made in bad faith.

Yet Trump has allowed Pakistan to position itself as the bridge between the US and Iran ahead of negotiations in Islamabad this weekend.

For its own reasons, Pakistan does want peace, but a peace that favors Iran.

It’s acting less as an honest broker — and more as Tehran’s lawyer.

Under Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief and de facto ruler, Islamabad has moved to ingratiate itself with Trump.

Last year it handed over a suspect tied to the Abbey Gate bombing that killed 13 US servicemembers during the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, and nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Pakistan has also taken a seat at the table of the Board of Peace — Trump’s effort to remake Gaza into a hub of “opportunity, hope, and vitality” — in its continuing effort to curry favor with Trump and cash in on his Middle East vision.

Trump had a clearer view of Pakistan in his first term.

In 2018, he complained that despite receiving $33 billion of US aid over 15 years, Islamabad delivered only “lies and deceit.”

Correctly, Trump added, “They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

Trump should recall that instinct now as Pakistan seeks to broker a deal that will shield Tehran from sustained American military pressure.

Pakistan and Iran share a porous border that runs through insurgency-plagued regions.

A destabilized Iran would spill violence and refugees across that frontier and intensify militant activity that Pakistan already struggles to contain.

At the same time, Pakistan depends heavily on Gulf energy imports.

Disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has severely weakened its economy.

Islamabad’s defense ties with Saudi Arabia are another reason why Pakistan wants to end this war.

Continued Iranian attacks on Saudi territory could force Islamabad to choose between friends, risking backlash at home.

Pakistan has the second-largest Shiite Muslim population in the world after Iran, and the war is already inflaming sectarian tensions: Violent protests erupted in Karachi and elsewhere last month following the death of Ali Khamenei.

More important, though, is Pakistan’s increasingly close alignment with China.

Islamabad operates Beijing’s most advanced weapon systems and trains closely with the People’s Liberation Army.

Pakistan anchors China’s strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, giving Beijing access to critical maritime routes and a position near key global energy corridors.

China, for its own economic benefit, is intent on restoring stable energy flows from the Gulf, and it’s also sought to position itself as a guarantor of regional energy stability in Asia, a role long dominated by the United States.

Beijing has publicly backed Pakistan’s mediation effort, using its ties with Tehran to nudge it toward negotiations.

That pressure is meant to secure an arrangement that pauses the war while protecting the regime itself.

In his first term, Trump experienced Pakistan’s unreliability up close.

Islamabad in 2020 helped bring the Taliban to the negotiating table, earning credit as a facilitator.

That deal supposedly included provisions that would prevent al Qaeda from taking advantage of US concessions — but turned out to be merely window dressing.

The agreement paved the way for the disastrous US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

The risks of a bad deal with Tehran are enormous — and even a delay in the negotiations would give the regime time to rearm itself and its proxies, enabling them to resume attacks with greater precision.

A durable peace must halt the Iranian nuclear threat for good and terminate its five-decade campaign of subversion and intimidation of its neighbors.

A dishonest broker like Pakistan has no business being at that table.

Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Jackson Park comes alive on a bright April day, bustling with activity.

The main attraction drawing visitors is the stunning display of cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

In addition to the floral spectacle, the Obama Presidential Center is nearing its completion, while ongoing projects are enhancing visitor experiences, including significant developments at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.

“It’s beautiful,” remarked Alicia Raya, a resident of Ashburn. “The colors transition from white to pink, and even as the petals fall, they create a vibrant carpet on the ground.”

Fernando Raya added, “I’ve always wanted to visit Washington, D.C., for the cherry blossoms, but having this beauty close to home is fantastic.”

What started with a dozen trees became 200 trees, with their delicate spring flowers around the Columbia Basin. The oldest two are 130 years old, and the Chicago Park District is adding 30 more new trees.

“There is nothing more beautiful than to see people out of the house looking around, looking at the flowers, smiling, taking pictures, being with their kids. No one is texting on their phone,” said Karen Szyjka, Chicago Park District operations support manager and curator of the Japanese Garden.

“We were thinking of doing it Sunday, but we know the weather in Chicago is very difficult and so bipolar. So we decided to go today,” Worth resident Shankara Nelson said.

Some of the trees are along the south side of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry that is preparing to open the museum’s south portico.

“The idea of opening this south portico was really a voice of the community,” Griffin Museum of Science and Industry CEO Chevy Humphrey said.

Humphrey says they are making the south entrance more accessible to all.

“It’s ADA accessible, and we have a ton of families with strollers. So, we want to make sure that everyone has an accessible way to come in,” Humphrey said.

“Once they open up this entrance over here, I think it will really connect the entire park in a way it was really envisioned,” Naperville resident Doug Fitzgerald said.

The south entrance was the original entrance at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. In 2027, it will reopen to the Columbia Basin with its cherry blossom trees, a new Obama Center, a new midway playground and the Japanese Garden, which is preparing for more visitors, with more staff and technology to preserve the historic garden.

With the Obama Presidential Center opening in June and more things on the horizon, you can discover features of Jackson Park on your own at anytime.

An Arizona teen who mysteriously vanished at the age of 13 and was long presumed abducted has been discovered alive. She has since crafted a serene life as a married mother of three, employed at a private investigations firm, according to recent reports.

Now 45, Christina “Tina” Marie Plante resides in Springfield, Missouri, a significant distance of over 1,100 miles from where she disappeared back in 1994. After departing from her home as a young teenager, she established a new life, as reported by the Daily Mail.

According to the outlet, Plante married during her teenage years, went on to raise three sons, and later pursued higher education, earning a degree in psychology from Missouri State University. Presently, she holds a supervisory position at a Springfield company specializing in insurance fraud investigations.

She and her husband, Shawn Hollon, who works as a software engineering manager, share a spacious five-bedroom house. The couple has been married for nearly 30 years.

The Gila County Sheriff’s Office had issued a missing person flyer for Christina “Tina” Plante, who disappeared in 1994. The case came to a resolution in 2026 when she was found alive, ending decades of being listed as missing and endangered. (Gila County Sheriff’s Office)

Hollon told the Daily Mail that his wife has been processing the renewed attention after being identified and said she had shared her story with him before they married in 1998, though he declined to discuss the details publicly.

Authorities say Plante has been reluctant to provide specifics about how she disappeared.

Gila County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Lahti told the Daily Mail that Plante has not explained who she was with when she left or how she managed to get out of town. He said she acknowledged running away and indicated she had contact with another family member at the time.

A childhood photo of Christina Plante, who vanished at age 13 in Star Valley, Arizona. Authorities announced in 2026 that she had been found alive more than 30 years after her disappearance. (Gila County Sheriff’s Office)

Plante was last seen around midday on May 15, 1994, leaving her home in Star Valley after telling others she was heading to a nearby horse stable. When she didn’t return, the case was classified as missing and endangered under suspicious circumstances.

Her disappearance prompted an extensive search and years of investigation, with early concerns that she may have been abducted. Those fears were never confirmed, and the case eventually went cold.

Decades later, a cold case team reopened the investigation using modern tools, including social media and public records, ultimately identifying Plante and confirming she was alive.

Jordan Seaburg (left, pilot), Rich Dolphin (center, firing boss) and Anthony Ramirez (Helitack lead superintendent) ready the helicopter to drop the chemical-filled ping-pong balls that were used to ignite a prescribed fire on April 22, 2024, in Star Valley, Arizona. (Mark Henle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)

“I guess she wasn’t happy with where she was living and who she was living with, and she ran away,” cold case investigator Capt. Jamie Garrett told NewsNation.

“I was dumbfounded,” Garrett added. “I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. OK, so you ran away.’ I told her, ‘You know, we were under the impression that somebody kidnapped you. It was deemed a criminal offense.’”

Authorities say the case is now considered resolved.

While many details about how she left remain unclear, officials say Plante has since built a stable life and has chosen to keep much of her past private.