Counterintelligence — 2026-10-03

FBI Arrests Department of Energy Electrical Engineer for Attempting to Provide Explosives Components and Drone Technology to Iran-Backed Houthis

BLUFEllaboudy's arrest exposes an insider-threat gap in official passport oversight, and a federal indictment or guilty plea is very likely by late November given the recorded sting evidence.

The FBI arrested Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, a Department of Energy electrical engineer from Richland, Washington, on Thursday and charged him with attempting to provide material support to the Houthis, a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the Justice Department 1. The complaint alleges he bought precursor chemicals and drone parts, then used a previously issued Army Corps of Engineers passport in September 2025 to enter Yemen from Oman, and told Customs and Border Protection he was on government business, which his DOE supervisor disputed 12. The complaint further alleges he helped an FBI informant posing as a Houthi colonel test and modify solar generators and communications equipment, supplying schematics 13. DOE's Hanford Field Office said there was no threat to the site 1; Ellaboudy faces up to 20 years if convicted and was due in court Friday 1.

Analysis
An indictment or guilty plea on the material-support charge is very likely by November 30, since federal rules require a grand jury indictment within 30 days of arrest on a complaint and Justice Department leadership has publicly committed to the case. The recorded sting, Yemen travel, and false statement to Customs and Border Protection give prosecutors evidence that does not depend on Ellaboudy's cooperation. Confidence is moderate because every detail traces to one prosecution document, with no defense filing yet and only an AP account adding affidavit details. Classified or informant-derived evidence may prolong charging or produce a negotiated resolution that slips past November 30. If the deadline holds, DOE and Army Corps security offices should proceed with passport-retention and foreign-travel reporting reviews. A delay or narrower charge means those reviews can wait for the court record.

6 sources

Department of Energy Employee Arrested in Washington State on Charges of Attempted Material Support - Department of Justice
FBI arrests Energy Department employee on charge of trying to support Houthis - ABC News (AP)
Richland, WA man charged with giving material support to Houthis - FOX 13 Seattle
FBI arrests Energy Department employee accused of attempting to support Houthis - The Hill
FBI arrests Energy Department employee on charge of trying to support Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen - The Washington Times
Energy Department employee arrested in Washington state on attempted support for Houthis - KOMO News